Shortly after 35-year-old Novak Djokovic sent another significantly younger player to win his 22nd Grand Slam title, his coach Goran Ivanisevic was asked if the new Australian Open champion could maintain his form. How long is the peak?
The answer will probably give one chills for the rest of the ATP Tour.
“Definitely two, three years from now,” said Ivanisevic, who helped Djokovic win seven major titles.
“His level is unbelievable. He’s from outer space. His brain works differently.”
Djokovic, who will turn 36 in May, has shown all sides of his greatness on the road to beat 24-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Melbourne final on Sunday.
The Serb has won five of his previous seven Grand Slams, although this victory came in a tournament where Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz – the world’s number one before the sued and as the new leader of the next generation – was disqualified due to injury.
BBC Sport analyzes why Djokovic is still so difficult for young players to topple.
Halo
Quite a few younger opponents spoke before the match about treating Djokovic like any other opponent – playing men, not names.
But how many people actually believe it and aren’t overwhelmed?
Greece’s Tsitsipas was the last of four players at least a decade younger than Djokovic to be beaten by him in Melbourne.
In the past four years, Djokovic has lost only five of his 45 matches against opponents under the age of 23.
Djokovic has won six of his seven Grand Slam finals against players born in 1990 with Russia’s Daniil Medvedev landing the young generation’s only success at the US Open 2021.
Tsitsipas insists Djokovic’s squeeze on young players is not a “curse”.
“I don’t see this as something unpleasant. This is very good for the sport, when there are opponents like him, there are champions like him,” said Tsitsipas, who has lost 10 times against Djokovic. before, say.
Does Tsitsipas really think that is another matter. If he does, it looks like he’s an exception.
It is said that Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev and American Tommy Paul – players Djokovic has lightly eliminated in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Australian Open respectively – discussed the fear the players feel. saw his name in their competition. draw.
Rublev, 25, laughed when he said after his last-16 win that he wished Djokovic was on the opposite side – but that was no laughing matter as he became increasingly bored on his way to beating his opponent. .
Paul, 25, who was also sent away in three sets, said: “A lot of players have respect for his play.
“Nobody really wanted to see him in their draw.”
Psychology on the pitch
When the match gets tough, Djokovic will keep going.
That’s especially relevant during the biggest moments of the biggest games and is a major reason why he’s won 22 of the 33 Grand Slam finals he’s been in.
Tsitsipas said Djokovic, who saved 23 of 29 break points in the Australian Open, including two-thirds in the final, is a player who “pushes you to your limit” on the court.
“He’s very important to us who want to achieve his goals one day. Every time being kicked in the ass is definitely a very good lesson,” he said.
“He made me a much better player. He made my concentration level higher and higher every time I played against him.
“You have to be really involved and you have to be dedicated to the game against him.”
Techniques and tactics
Everyone has a plan for the match against Djokovic. Executing someone as talented as him is another story.
As Paul put it after the semi-final defeat, Djokovic can make them “play so badly”.
The American offered some insight into his tactics and how Djokovic nullified those plans.
“I wanted to serve and pass some. I didn’t serve and pass once,” he said.
“When I made my first serve, I felt like he was returning it to the bottom line. I was automatically defensive.
“I wanted to take low shots. I didn’t get a chance to do anything because he hit too deep.
“I wanted to change the pace with my cut. I missed the first three slices of the game. I was thinking ‘okay, I’ll start my backhand, I’ll cut the ball. not good’.
“He didn’t let me do all that because of the things he did so well.”
Body
Djokovic has long appreciated the need to take care of his body to prolong his career and achieve success in his 30s.
He frequently cites a change to a gluten-free diet over a decade ago as a recipe for his success.
Although he does not consider himself a vegetarian, Djokovic avoids eating meat, fish and other animal products.
Daily yoga and stretching routines are key to maintaining the extraordinary elasticity he continues to show when chasing balls on the court.
“The way he takes care of his body, the way he approaches things, the food, is amazing. It’s unbelievable, class,” said Ivanisevic.
When Djokovic reasoned last year for not getting vaccinated against the coronavirus, he said he wanted to “get in tune with his body as much as possible”.
He added that he was “always a great student of health, happiness, wellness, nutrition”.
resilience
Success comes with scrutiny and Djokovic often finds himself at the center of everything – whether it’s his own creation or not.
Last year, he was unable to defend his Australian Open title after being expelled from the country following controversy over his Covid-19 vaccination status.
Djokovic was also hampered by a hamstring injury at Melbourne Park, which Ivanisevic said would knock out “97% of the other players”.
“If I go back in time two and a half weeks ago, I really don’t like my chances with the way I felt with my feet,” said Djokovic.
“Then it’s just a matter of survival of each game, trying to get to the next round.”
Another curved ball was thrown his way before Friday’s semi-final against Paul.
His father, Srdjan, is pictured outside Rod Laver Arena with supporters of Russian president Vladimir Putin, creating a controversy that Djokovic says is “not easy to resolve”.
However, he has managed to leave all these distractions behind when leveling Rafael Nadal’s record in the men’s professional tournament.
“It really takes a tremendous amount of mental energy to stay present, focus and take in things day by day,” said Djokovic.
Few bet on the world number one winning more major titles than any other player in the sport’s history, unless Tsitsipas, Alcaraz or the rest of the younger generation – plus Nadal, 36, is set to win his 15th title at the French Open in June – which could stop him.
“Of course, 35 is not 25, though I want to believe it. But I still feel like there’s time ahead. Let’s see how far we can go,” Djokovic said.
