MELBOURNE, Australia — It’s 5 days from the start of the Australian Open and Novak Djokovic has simply emerged from the shadows of the Rod Laver Arena gamers tunnel for the primary of his pre-tournament apply classes. He strides to his bench and dumps sufficient baggage for a two-week trip earlier than lacing his footwear and intentionally pirouetting towards the web, taking in a 360-degree view of the courtroom and stadium which have outlined his famend profession.
For a short second, the unmistakable mischievous grin that has turn into virtually a everlasting function of Djokovic’s face is changed by a glad smile, giving the impression to a minor media contingent scattered across the grandstands that he might be soaking on this fortnight much more than regular.
“It’s a 20-year anniversary,” Djokovic proudly exclaimed at first of his pre-tournament information convention, referencing his 20 years of competitors Down Under. “Back in 2005, it was the primary time I certified for any Grand Slam, and [I] performed Marat Safin within the centre courtroom. It was a fairly fast match for me. He in a while gained the match, however it was a really distinctive expertise that allowed me to dream huge and carry on believing that I can at some point win a Slam. Three years later, I gained my first Slam on the identical courtroom … simply beautiful recollections. I all the time attempt to relive these moments.”
There’s hardly a tennis rival Djokovic hasn’t bested on Melbourne Park’s iconic blue centre courtroom. From his long-standing, epic rivalries with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to the brash, supposed up-and-comers of Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas; in the event that they’ve held a racket, Djokovic at one second in time has reigned supreme over them en path to a file 10 Australian Open triumphs. But at age 37, as Djokovic begins his twenty first tour of the ATP circuit, probably the most daunting challenger of his illustrious profession is looming within the distance: Father Time. It’s an opponent each nice earlier than him — tennis or in any other case — has finally been humbled by. It’s one that may inevitably meet up with him, too.
Twelve months in the past, on this courtroom, Djokovic suffered arguably probably the most brutal lack of his Australian Open profession, a semifinal drubbing by the hands of eventual champion Jannik Sinner. In the wake of the defeat, many pundits started speculating if it have been the start of the tip for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, however such reckless rationale was shortly confirmed nonsensical when six months later, after knee surgical procedure, he reached the Wimbledon last. Then, 4 weeks later, underneath the blazing Paris solar, he produced a masterpiece to beat Spanish ace Carlos Alcaraz and add an elusive Olympic gold medal to his bulging trophy cupboard.
“He gained the sport of tennis after he gained that Olympic gold,” long-time rival John Isner stated jokingly on the “Nothing Major” podcast in December. “He’s nonetheless going, I do know that, however he checked the ultimate field of his profession. It was like he completed the online game.”
Time and once more, Djokovic has defied age conventions and expectations, making a mockery of the various tennis scribes who’ve prematurely penned his sporting obituary. But even the seemingly indestructible and invincible Djokovic will finally attain some extent the place his physique lastly screams sufficient. Even he’ll finally succumb to that pesky little factor we name growing older. When will that point come? Not even he is aware of.
“The means I’m feeling at this time, I nonetheless suppose that I can go robust for years to come back,” Djokovic informed reporters forward of final month’s Brisbane International. “I nonetheless love this sport and I nonetheless love competing. I’m trying to play extra tournaments this yr than I performed final season. How lengthy that is going to be or how lengthy I’m going to really feel motivated to maintain going, that is one thing unpredictable.”
It’s anybody’s guess the place the tip of the highway is for Djokovic. It may very well be subsequent month, subsequent yr, or subsequent Olympic cycle. Two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier believes “there may be nothing in his sport that will point out he’s incapable of profitable a number of majors going ahead,” whereas others suppose he may sail off into the sundown if he clinches another Slam — No. 25 — and with it, the outright majors file he has desperately been chasing.
But one thing historical past does inform us is that when that finish comes, it might probably arrive frighteningly shortly. Both Nadal and Murray, Djokovic’s new coach, can actually attest to that. Could this be the ultimate time Djokovic meaningfully competes on Australian soil? Perhaps.
But the very fact he stays a bona fide contender for the title — he’s the seventh seed this fortnight in Melbourne and was the third favourite amongst bookmakers when the match started — at this juncture of his profession should not be taken with no consideration.
Tennis has been blessed with an abundance of icons over the previous quarter century, however it’s now not opinion to say none has performed the game at the next degree or achieved better success than Djokovic. And maybe it is due to that his profession has been normalized — trying to foretell what his last Grand Slam title tally may very well be as a substitute of recognizing and celebrating the grueling journey to every of these triumphs as they’ve unfolded.
Proof that his longevity is unprecedented? Look on the ridiculousness of his post-age-35 tennis résumé. If Djokovic’s profession had begun on that birthday, slightly over 2½ years in the past, he would already be probably the most completed participant on the ATP tour, with 4 Grand Slam titles, six main last appearances, two ATP Finals titles, 59 weeks at world No. 1, and that aforementioned Olympic gold medal.
Australia has all the time shared a prickly and considerably sophisticated relationship with the Serbian megastar. It was right here the place a fresh-faced Djokovic introduced himself to the world in 2008, taking down Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga within the Australian Open last to win his maiden Grand Slam title. Djokovic would go on so as to add one other 9 Norman Brookes Challenge Cups to his résumé over the following 15 years, however regardless of the overwhelming success, he by no means got here near rivals Federer and Nadal on most of the people’s scale of affection and fanfare. That was solely exacerbated in 2021 when he had his Australian visa canceled and was deported from the country on the eve of the match for breaching its strict COVID-19 entry necessities.
But regardless of the sophisticated opinions on Djokovic, the athlete or the person, these are probably the ultimate tournaments of his legendary profession. Tennis, and sport usually, is healthier for having Djokovic competing. We’re unlikely to see anybody fairly like him once more.
