Djokovic: “Whether or not Rafael Nadal plays in Paris doesn’t change anything because everything is in my hands,”

clayqueen · Oct 23, 2020

“Whether or not Rafael Nadal plays in Paris doesn’t change anything because everything is in my hands,” Djokovic told Sportski Zurnal.

“I want to make history as the world number one who has spent the most weeks at the top of the ATP Tour, and I will do everything I can to make it happen,”

“My immediate task is to collect as many points as possible to try to put as much distance between me and the hunting pack before next season.”

Having made no secret of his ambitions, Djokovic showed also admits he is feeling confident of achieving them.

“Of course I’m aware of the amount of weeks, and I don’t know exactly the date, but I know it’s going to be in probably the first or beginning of the second quarter of next year if I eventually maintain my number one ranking,” he said.

“I’m getting closer. I’m in a very good position, I feel like I have been also playing really well and been healthy, which is great.

“Yes, those are the two biggest professional goals that I have at the moment.

“So the historic number one ranking goal is something that is on the horizon, and I’m going to give my all and very best that I can possibly give in the next period to achieve that.

“But also, after that slams will be the big one, of course.”

The earliest Djokovic can surpass Roger Federer for total weeks at world number one is March 8, assuming he holds onto his ranking until then.

Tennis_Hands · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 · Oct 23, 2020

Idemooo bree

Nadal's Universe · Oct 23, 2020

Yes Novak can have the Most Weeks at #1 as long as Nadal has the MOST SLAMS. Fair enough.

Tennis_Freak99 · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Hands said:

Don't worry, Fed has the most fans, most loved

That's all that matters

Tennis_Hands · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 said:
Don't worry, Fed has the most fans, most loved

That's all that matters

It is something else, but you will never know.

Tennis_Freak99 · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Hands said:
It is something else, but you will never know.

Oops, forgot most beautiful game*

Now, That's all that matters anyways

Tennis_Hands · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 said:
Oops, forgot most beautiful game*

Now, That's all that matters anyways

Keep trying.

You will miss it anyway.

Nadal's Universe · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 said:
Oops, forgot most beautiful game*

Now, That's all that matters anyways

Let Fed have those. Those will be left of him anyway. Rafa and Novak will surpass all his records and they will split it up.

aldeayeah · Oct 23, 2020

Well he's right! (regarding the weeks at #1 record)

PeoplesChamp · Oct 23, 2020

Djokovic only cares about the record which means he will achieve it in whatever way possible. Doesn't matter, must catch Fed.

Get it cheap!!!

PeoplesChamp · Oct 23, 2020

No points in Paris. To hell with Masters I'm going to crash Thiem's party!! 500's where it's at now

Tennis_Hands · Oct 23, 2020

PeoplesChamp said:
No points in Paris. To hell with Masters I'm going to crash Thiem's party!! 500's where it's at now

Strange how these beacons of Majoring in Majors stuff suddenly went down a bunch.

BTW, that is not the end of the Majoring in Hypocrisy that we will see from now on, so there is a whole new entertainment level we are bound to enjoy.

Just sit back, relax, and have fun!

Oceans · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 said:
Don't worry, Fed has the most fans, most loved

That's all that matters

I'm not sure Federer will even have the most fans. Recently, more people are seeing the light and people will gravitate towards the Djokodal bandwagon if Federer's records fall.

Start da Game · Oct 23, 2020

people remember grandslam victories and good behavior.........tennis was always about grandslams and sportsmanship, nothing else.........

TheNachoMan · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 said:
Oops, forgot most beautiful game*

Now, That's all that matters anyways

Pretty backhand, no?

Tennis_Freak99 · Oct 23, 2020

TheNachoMan said:
Pretty backhand, no?

Prettiest*

D.Nalby12 · Oct 23, 2020

Not very wise to declare intentions for chasing records. But he always does it.

Deleted member 770948 · Oct 23, 2020

Good Novak, focus on the rankings while you lose your AO crown and Nadal will be 4 or 5 slams ahead by June next year....

TheNachoMan · Oct 23, 2020

D.Nalby12 said:
Not very wise to declare intentions for chasing records. But he always does it.

He should take the RAFA approach and pretend to not care about it. Puts less pressure on himself

D.Nalby12 · Oct 23, 2020

NADALalot said:
Good Novak, focus on the rankings while you lose your AO crown and Nadal will be 4 or 5 slams ahead by June next year....

Not everyone is smart as RAFA. He will be GOAT with really BIG margin.

fox · Oct 23, 2020

I really can't believe how a person like him can say such things. Doesn't he have a team, PR team, ATP and sponsors who should all cut all these negativity he is creating. His interviews are as if he was 10 years old.

Born_to_slice · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Hands said:

aldeayeah · Oct 23, 2020

TheNachoMan said:
He should take the RAFA approach and pretend to not care about it. Puts less pressure on himself

You gotta admit it's a brilliant strategy.

I mean, even Novak tries sometimes to emulate it, but he's just terrible at keeping his mouth shut for any extended period of time.

fox · Oct 23, 2020

He should watch this Serena Wimbledon interview where she was asked if Safina should be No1 despite the fact Serena held 3 GS then.....

She said: 'Well Dinara did well, won Rome, Madrid...." then laughed so hard

Nadal's Universe · Oct 23, 2020

fox said:
He should watch this Serena Wimbledon interview where she was asked if Safina should be No1 despite the fact Serena held 3 GS then.....

She said: 'Well Dinara did well, won Rome, Madrid...." then laughed so hard

It just shows Slams are what matters.

maratha_warrior · Oct 23, 2020

What he said is absolutely right and normal . Haters are taking this out of context .

Ofcourse everything is in his hands.
If he reaches finals of Vienna or reaches semis of WTF , Nadal's results doesn't even matter .
Even if Nadal wins Paris and WTF , still Novak will end up Year end No 1 .

Azure · Oct 23, 2020

If he gets the record, that would be quite an achievement without doubt! He is just vocal about it. Don't see anything wrong.

Mainad · Oct 23, 2020

fox said:
He should watch this Serena Wimbledon interview where she was asked if Safina should be No1 despite the fact Serena held 3 GS then.....

She said: 'Well Dinara did well, won Rome, Madrid...." then laughed so hard

It was a classic.

USO · Oct 23, 2020

The only reason Djokovic has started to hype up the weeks at number one is because he knows that he is losing the slam race. He never used to talk about the weeks at number one at all but only about the slams and now all of a sudden the weeks at no.1 is the biggest goals of his career give me a break. I expect him next to start hyping up the masters 1000 record the more he realizes that the slam record is out of his reach

At the end of the day he will finish behind Fedal in the most important category the slams and that’s clear based on his attitude.

And once again this interview shows how he is arrogant that’s why people don’t like him.

pj80 · Oct 23, 2020

Hater's gonna hate...Novak's gonna break records.

mike danny · Oct 23, 2020

I don't see anything wrong in what he said. Better than all the PR nonsense.

I like honesty.

pj80 · Oct 23, 2020

Azure said:
If he gets the record, that would be quite an achievement without doubt! He is just vocal about it. Don't see anything wrong.

especially after 2018 when fed fans were gloating about novak's injury and rogers 20th major and number 1 weeks record that seemed unreachable

Villain · Oct 23, 2020

USO said:
The only reason Djokovic has started to hype up the weeks at number one is because he knows that he is losing the slam race. He never used to talk about the weeks at number one at all but only about the slams and now all of a sudden the weeks at no.1 is the biggest goals of his career give me a break. I expect him next to start hyping up the masters 1000 record the more he realizes that the slam record is out of his reach At the end of the day he will finish behind Fedal in the most important category the slams and that’s clear based on his attitude. And once again this interview shows how he is arrogant that’s why people don’t like him.

Dream on Fed fan. He’s going to pass all of Fed’s records.

Arak · Oct 23, 2020

Djokovic in 2024: “I won 26 slams and stayed 12 years as world no.1 but everyone still thinks Roger is the Goat. damn!”

Deleted member 744633 · Oct 23, 2020

fox said:
I really can't believe how a person like him can say such things. Doesn't he have a team, PR team, ATP and sponsors who should all cut all these negativity he is creating. His interviews are as if he was 10 years old.

Fully agreed. As a Djokovic fan, I'm appalled that nobody is coaching him on what to say or perhaps they are but he won't listen. Some of the things he says show a complete lack of maturity. With this one, there's not much pressure really because with the rankings freeze, he's all but guaranteed to break Federer's weeks at No. 1 record! But we saw what happened at the French Open with the pressure he created for himself. I thought he would have learned from that experience.

Icarus · Oct 23, 2020

Arak said:
Djokovic in 2024: “I won 26 slams and stayed 12 years as world no.1 but everyone still thinks Roger is the Goat. damn!”

Only deluded fed fans will think like that like the many on here

Omega_7000 · Oct 23, 2020

It will be soooooo funny if he gets upset early

Arak · Oct 23, 2020

Icarus said:
Only deluded fed fans will think like that like the many on here

Shaolin · Oct 23, 2020

I like this talk from Novak.

The end of 2020 has been a fail for him by his standards so it would be nice to end it with some great things.

Then start off 2021 with another AO win

TheAssassin · Oct 23, 2020

fox said:
I really can't believe how a person like him can say such things. Doesn't he have a team, PR team, ATP and sponsors who should all cut all these negativity he is creating. His interviews are as if he was 10 years old.

And what are the "such things" he said here that his team, PR team, ATP or sponsors should have prevented him from saying? The number 1 record is very close and he has it in his sights. The YE #1 is already just 2-3 wins away so it's obviously in his hands. Honest, confident, yet doesn't take it for granted. Seriously, what's the straw you are grasping at in this interview lol...

Rabin · Oct 23, 2020

USO said:
The only reason Djokovic has started to hype up the weeks at number one is because he knows that he is losing the slam race. He never used to talk about the weeks at number one at all but only about the slams and now all of a sudden the weeks at no.1 is the biggest goals of his career give me a break. I expect him next to start hyping up the masters 1000 record the more he realizes that the slam record is out of his reach At the end of the day he will finish behind Fedal in the most important category the slams and that’s clear based on his attitude. And once again this interview shows how he is arrogant that’s why people don’t like him.

Because he wasn't close to getting that record then. Give the guy a break. I don't even like him, but the hate boner some of you have is ridiculous.

mbm0912 · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Freak99 said:
Prettiest*

gCoRU9bwhMgH64VleEZyuHoL1abwdqDfIkDbqMaKgeKsI0jRaq9Aw_UQA1ueb8qPqH-eSdsylOF5-jEknclgm7aUdbrJuKYyXVMdup6nHs7Vm_JKvGChfylKO8kkIg

UnderratedSlam · Oct 23, 2020

Tennis_Hands said:
It is something else, but you will never know.

True love?

UnderratedSlam · Oct 23, 2020

Shaolin said:
I like this talk from Novak.

The end of 2020 has been a fail for him by his standards so it would be nice to end it with some great things.

Then start off 2021 with another AO win

Finally a champ who says without hesitation what he wants to achieve.

The fact that this honesty triggers millennials unused to the Mac/Connors era is their problem, not Novak's.

Of course, far be it for me to say Novak is anywhere close to THAT kind of banter. Perhaps he is more on a 90s level kind of frankness, when players were more honest than today but far less rude than in the 80s.

Third Serve · Oct 23, 2020

Judging by some of these posts, I feel like I should be offended by this news.

Not feeling it yet.

GabeT · Oct 23, 2020

fox said:
He should watch this Serena Wimbledon interview where she was asked if Safina should be No1 despite the fact Serena held 3 GS then.....

She said: 'Well Dinara did well, won Rome, Madrid...." then laughed so hard

That’s funny. What’s the difference between Madrid and Rome and the slams in the WTA? One more match played?

King No1e · Oct 23, 2020

clayqueen said:
“Whether or not Rafael Nadal plays in Paris doesn’t change anything because everything is in my hands,” Djokovic told Sportski Zurnal.

“I want to make history as the world number one who has spent the most weeks at the top of the ATP Tour, and I will do everything I can to make it happen,”

“My immediate task is to collect as many points as possible to try to put as much distance between me and the hunting pack before next season.”

Having made no secret of his ambitions, Djokovic showed also admits he is feeling confident of achieving them.

“Of course I’m aware of the amount of weeks, and I don’t know exactly the date, but I know it’s going to be in probably the first or beginning of the second quarter of next year if I eventually maintain my number one ranking,” he said.

“I’m getting closer. I’m in a very good position, I feel like I have been also playing really well and been healthy, which is great.

“Yes, those are the two biggest professional goals that I have at the moment.

“So the historic number one ranking goal is something that is on the horizon, and I’m going to give my all and very best that I can possibly give in the next period to achieve that.

“But also, after that slams will be the big one, of course.”

The earliest Djokovic can surpass Roger Federer for total weeks at world number one is March 8, assuming he holds onto his ranking until then.

Translation: "I'm not going to freak out if Nadal shows up to Paris. What matters to me is my level and how I play, not who I'm up against."

Jonesy · Oct 23, 2020

lucky13 · Oct 23, 2020

actually he talked about "historic no1" for a while now! no1 was one of his goals since he was a little boy and he has been talking about "historic no2" for several years now.

Djokovic: “Whether or not Rafael Nadal plays in Paris doesn’t change anything because everything is in my hands,”

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