MELBOURNE, Australia — It is 5 days from the start of the Australian Open and Novak Djokovic has simply emerged from the shadows of the Rod Laver Area gamers tunnel for the primary of his pre-tournament follow periods. He strides to his bench and dumps sufficient baggage for a two-week trip earlier than lacing his footwear and intentionally pirouetting towards the online, taking in a 360-degree view of the courtroom and stadium which have outlined his famend profession.
For a quick second, the unmistakable mischievous grin that has change into virtually a everlasting characteristic of Djokovic’s face is changed by a happy smile, giving the impression to a minor media contingent scattered across the grandstands that he will likely be soaking on this fortnight much more than traditional.
“It is a 20-year anniversary,” Djokovic proudly exclaimed initially of his pre-tournament information convention, referencing his twenty years of competitors Down Underneath. “Again 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 reasonably fast match for me. He afterward received the match, however it was a really distinctive expertise that allowed me to dream massive and carry on believing that I can someday win a Slam. Three years later, I received my first Slam on the identical courtroom … simply beautiful reminiscences. 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 document 10 Australian Open triumphs. However at age 37, as Djokovic begins his twenty first tour of the ATP circuit, essentially the most daunting challenger of his illustrious profession is looming within the distance: Father Time. It is an opponent each nice earlier than him — tennis or in any other case — has ultimately been humbled by. It is one that may inevitably meet up with him, too.
Twelve months in the past, on this courtroom, Djokovic suffered arguably essentially the most brutal lack of his Australian Open profession, a straight-sets semifinal drubbing by the hands of eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Within the wake of the defeat, many pundits started speculating if it had been the start of the top 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 remaining. Then, 4 weeks later, below 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 received the sport of tennis after he received that Olympic gold,” long-time rival John Isner mentioned jokingly on the “Nothing Main” podcast in December. “He is nonetheless going, I do know that, however he checked the ultimate field of his profession. It was like he completed the online game.”
Repeatedly, Djokovic has defied age conventions and expectations, making a mockery of the numerous tennis scribes who’ve prematurely penned his sporting obituary. However even the seemingly indestructible and invincible Djokovic will ultimately attain some extent the place his physique lastly screams sufficient. Even he’ll ultimately succumb to that pesky little factor we name growing old. When will that point come? Not even he is aware of.
“The way in which I am feeling at present, I nonetheless assume that I can go sturdy for years to return,” Djokovic informed reporters forward of final month’s Brisbane Worldwide. “I nonetheless love this sport and I nonetheless love competing. I am trying to play extra tournaments this yr than I performed final season. How lengthy that is going to be or how lengthy I will really feel motivated to maintain going, that is one thing unpredictable.”
It is anybody’s guess the place the top of the highway is for Djokovic. It could possibly be subsequent month, subsequent yr, or subsequent Olympic cycle. Two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier believes “there’s nothing in his sport that might point out he’s incapable of successful a number of majors going ahead,” whereas others assume he may sail off into the sundown if he clinches yet another Slam — No. 25 — and with it, the outright majors document he has desperately been chasing.
However one thing historical past does inform us is that when that finish comes, it may possibly arrive frighteningly shortly. Each Nadal and Murray, Djokovic’s new coach, can actually attest to that. Might this be the ultimate time Djokovic meaningfully competes on Australian soil? Maybe.
However the truth 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 as a right.
Tennis has been blessed with an abundance of icons over the previous quarter century, however it’s not opinion to say none has performed the game at a better degree or achieved better success than Djokovic. And maybe it is due to that his profession has been normalized — trying to foretell what his remaining Grand Slam title tally could possibly be as an alternative of recognizing and celebrating the grueling journey to every of these triumphs as they’ve unfolded.
Proof that his longevity is unprecedented? Take a look at the ridiculousness of his post-age-35 tennis résumé. If Djokovic’s profession had begun on that birthday, a bit over 2½ years in the past, he would already be essentially the most completed participant on the ATP tour, with 4 Grand Slam titles, six main remaining 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 difficult 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 remaining to win his maiden Grand Slam title. Djokovic would go on so as to add one other 9 Norman Brookes Problem Cups to his résumé over the subsequent 15 years, however regardless of the overwhelming success, he by no means got here near rivals Federer and Nadal on most 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 nation on the eve of the match for breaching its strict COVID-19 entry necessities.
However regardless of the difficult opinions on Djokovic, the athlete or the person, these are probably the ultimate tournaments of his legendary profession. Tennis, and sport normally, is best for having Djokovic competing. We’re unlikely to see anybody fairly like him once more.