Few individuals are ever in the conversation or debate about being the greatest of all time (GOAT). There are some sports in which the debate is a little easier to be had as there are fewer names to discuss; however, that can often make it harder to crown one individual as the main person.
Tennis is one of those sports over the last decade or so that has had its debate about the GOAT rage on. Some have argued that it is Roger Federer, and others have argued that it is Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic’s name is another, and it would appear many are coming around to the idea that the Serbian is deserving of the unofficial title.
Why Novak Djokovic is the GOAT
While it is possible to argue about subjective things and opinions until a person goes blue in the face, it can be extremely difficult to argue against facts and statistics that have been achieved. Djokovic’s records speak for themselves, with the Serbian having accomplished so much more than many of his rivals.
Most will look at Grand Slam tournament successes as a measure of an individual’s quality. Of course, these are the biggest competitions and will often come with the most pressure, but that has not fazed the 36-year-old throughout his career.
His win at the US Open in 2023 made him the joint-most successful tennis player in terms of Grand Slams, with 24 successes. He shares the record with Margaret Court, with the Australian legend widely considered to be one of the GOATs, too.
If he is able to win the 2024 Australian Open, which he is the favorite to do with the site that has the best Australian Open bets ready to enjoy and enhance the competition further, then he will surpass her and be out on his own.
He has made winning Grand Slam titles look easy, as he has won three of the four majors on at least four occasions. The only win that he has not won is the French Open, but he has achieved victory in three appearances at Roland Garros. He has also made winning Masters 1000 events look easy, which has led to him being the all-time leader in earnings as he has accumulated over $180 million in prize money alone.
Djokovic’s 2015 campaign arguably solidified his status as a legend of the game and helped to boost his push to be known as the GOAT as he won 11 titles. He won three of the majors (not the French Open), thus accumulating a total of 16,785 points in the process. It is a record that is very unlikely to ever be beaten or matched again.
He also holds the record for most weeks in the No. 1 spot, having recently achieved his 400th. The next closest men’s player to him was Roger Federer, who managed 310.
Is It Possible To Argue Against Novak Djokovic As The Goat?
Of course, a debate is not one without two sides being argued, and with sports being about opinions as much as it often is about concrete stats, there are arguments against the idea of Djokovic being the GOAT.
As mentioned, many believe individuals like Federer and Nadal are considered the GOAT above Djokovic, as they were playing in an era of tennis that was arguably more competitive than it is today. Since 2019, and with the other two greats having been past their best at this point, the Serbian has won nine Grand Slams.
Others have argued that the number of major wins should not determine success. While it is an indicator of how successful a player has been, there are other variables that need to be considered. This could include playing styles, or how well they have managed to overcome their opponents on the court.
Djokovic Is Great Whatever The Opinion
Regardless of whether you believe Djokovic is the GOAT or not, there is no denying that the Serbian has obvious quality and has been incredibly successful. The stats do not lie and there are very few (if any) players who have surpassed what he has achieved in the history of tennis.
