Can we say that Novak Djokovic is already the GOAT? There are the conditions to say that the Serb has all the chances to become the most titled ever within the next two or three years. To date, it is impossible to say that one of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is the GOAT.
Many will say, Federer, for the style of play and the records achieved. Many others will argue that it is Nadal, for his French Open wins and his records. Djokovic has fewer titles than the Swiss and the Spaniard, but in the projection, at the end of his career, he could have more.
Also in the head-to-head, he is ahead with both rivals. For now, I think they are generally at the same level. But at the moment. Already from the next French Open, this balance can be swept away. Time is on the side of Djokovic and Nadal, but the Serb is traveling on a road of domination which can lead him to become the GOAT.
Competitive on every surface, Nole had only a negative period of 18 months in the past six years: from the 2016 US Open final lost against Stan Wawrinka to 2018 Wimbledon victory against Kevin Anderson. 18 months of darkness in 6 years of almost total domination.
Since winning Wimbledon 2014, Djokovic has won 9 Slam of his 17 Slams (Wimbledon 2014, Wimbledon and US Open 2015, Australian Open and French Open 2016, Wimbledon and US Open 2018, Australian Open and Wimbledon 2019 and Australian Open 2020).
Of the Big Three, he is the only one to have made the Nole-Slam and this year he has a serious chance of being able to do the Grand Slam: difficult but not impossible. The French Open is the tournament in which he will have more difficulties, but already by 2020, he will be able to further approach (and reach?) Federer’s 20 Slams and Nadal’s 19.
On hard-court and on grass he is proving to be the strongest and most complete tennis player, currently also of Federer, who holds the records of victories on hard-courts and on grass-courts. Djokovic has the ability to enter his opponents’ nervous system, raising his level and becoming unplayable when the pressure becomes unbearable.
He has become a chronic problem for Federer, for which the Swiss still had no cure. If Novak Djokovic is not yet the GOAT, he could become it in a few months. Unless Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal agree.
