Andy Murray professes that Novak Djokovic is slated to dominate in the world of men’s tennis for numerous foreseeable years, leaving much of the younger generation struggling to reach his stature. The Serbian player, at the age of 36, recently celebrated his record-equalling victory, his 24th Grand Slam singles title, a feat accomplished after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final in New York, with no intentions of hanging his racket anytime soon.
In Murray’s words to BBC Sport, the responsibility lies with the fresher crop of players to challenge Novak and aspire to surpass his excellence, a feat that seems hardly attainable at present. “Novak’s display of skill throughout the years has been remarkable, protruding along the same line as Roger and Rafa, showcasing their ability to maintain the game’s exigent demands over an extended period.
However, Novak’s persistence stands out as exceptional. He has retained this elevated performance level for an overwhelmingly substantial duration now.”
Interestingly, this year’s Wimbledon final witnessed Djokovic experiencing defeat by the hands of a young, 20-year-old Spaniard, Carlos Alcaraz. However, according to Murray, a three-time Grand Slam winner himself, many have misguided interpretations surrounding Djokovic’s fall at SW19.
He elucidates, “Post Wimbledon, everyone perceived a shift in the reigns of power. However, I stand to disagree. The fact that Novak secured victories in two out of the first three slams and was agonizingly close to claiming the Wimbledon final, magnifies his supremacy in the sport. It is clear evidence that he retains the title as the world’s best player”.
Murray goes on to claim, “It is the responsibility of the youth to elevate their game to match Djokovic’s. It’s unpredictable whether his Grand Slam victories will halt at 24. The factors are varied, be it his physical ability, motivation, or perhaps the ascendancy of talents like Alcaraz. While Alcaraz is undoubtedly an exceptional player, replicating Novak’s consistent dominance is a herculean task. Having said that, I believe Alcaraz will soon touch that gold standard but Novak’s last Grand Slam title seems far from sight.”
Djokovic is to be absent from Serbia’s Davis Cup tie against South Korea this Tuesday, with plans to return against Spain on Friday and face the Czech Republic the following Saturday. All of Great Britain’s matches, including the Davis Cup, will air live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website, along with updates on BBC Radio 5 Live.
