Novak Djokovic’s recent triumph over Matteo Berrettini at the Wimbledon championships shows that he is still ahead of the next generation of players, according to Toni Nadal.
The world No.1 triumphed in four sets against the Italian to clinch his 20th major title on Sunday. Placing him on level footing with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam titles won by a male player. Djokovic is the youngest member of the Big Three and has previously stated that his goal is to peak in time for the major events.
Commenting on Djokovic’s latest victory in a piece written for El Pais, Nadal has hailed the achievement. The 60-year-old is the uncle of Rafael Nadal and was the person who introduced him to the sport as a child.
“The Balkan seems to be, at the moment, the one with the best momentum to proclaim himself the winner in the fight to score the highest number of Grand Slams,” he said.
The record could be broken by the Serbian later this year should he prevail at the US Open. An event he won on three previous occasions with the last occurring back in 2018. Should Djokovic win in New York he would also achieve the rare milestone of a calendar Grand Slam where a player wins all four major titles within the same year. Something that hasn’t happened since 1988 when Stefi Grad did so, as well as winning the Olympics that year.
“In a month and a half the US Open will be played and there he will have his first chance to get ahead on the scoreboard,” said Nadal.
“Although it is also true that Rafael (Nadal) will fight, and if I have never lost something, it is my unshakable faith in him,” he added.
Regarding those bidding to take over from the Big Three in the future, Nadal believes Djokovic still has the upper hand for the foreseeable future. So far this season he has won 34 out of 37 matches played on the Tour. His losses were to Nadal in Rome, Aslan Karatsev in Belgrade and Dan Evans in Monte Carlo.
“I think that Djokovic’s current level is not the same as in 2011 or 2015, but it has been shown that the Serbian is still one step ahead of the new generation of players,” he said. “He has beaten three of those emerging tennis players in the last three Grand Slam finals. Let’s remember that he also beat Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open.”
It is unclear when Djokovic will return to action after admitting to having reservations about playing in the Olympic Games later this month.
