‘Novak Djokovic will best Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer records, because he is just better,’ says Tracy Austin

[ABCD]

Novak Djokovic is the best of the big three and will end up with most Grand Slam titles, says former world number one Tracy Austin.

Djokovic captured his 17th Grand Slam title in Australia earlier this month, leaving him two behind Nadal and three short of Federer in the all-time totals.

However, Tennis Channel analyst Austin believes it is only a matter of time before Djokovic establishes himself as the undisputed best when it comes to numbers at least.

“At the end of the day I think it’s going to be Novak,” Austin said.


“First of all, he’s not had a lot of wear-and-tear so I think he has another four years.

“Another four solid years where he can win on any surface.


“When Rafa is still around, Rafa’s still the GOAT on clay but I think the fact Novak has that head-to-head already against Roger and against Rafa [gives Djokovic the edge].”


Austin also believes that Djokovic got the toughest deal out of all three of them, and that only accentuates his achievements even more.


“The fact of the matter is this is the young guy who had to breakthrough and every single major that he won, he’s had to play against Roger and Rafa.”

“Roger had a kind of staggered start where he got a couple in before the other two got involved in that three-way trifecta.


“I think that’s been toughest on Novak and at the end of the day I think it’s Novak who’s going to have the most”

 

[quirotkicks]

She is probably right that he will end up with the best numbers and objectively be the GOAT. As for who is best in a subjective sense the arguments of that will go on forever. I do know I consider Djokovic the least fun to watch of the three, but this isn't figure skating with style and artistic impression points.

 

[RelentlessAttack]

I do know I consider Djokovic the least fun to watch of the three, but this isn't figure skating with style and artistic impression points.

All sports are ultimately entertainment products so you’re kind of wrong. Therefore NFL, NHL, etc changing the rules to encourage more offense

 

[PeoplesChamp]

However, Tennis Channel analyst Austin believes it is only a matter of time before Djokovic establishes himself as the undisputed best when it comes to numbers at least.

Key words here.

 

[ThiemPlayer]

I didn't see the word 'better' anywhere in her quotes.

 

[joekapa]

Wrong thread

 

[Druss]

‘Novak Djokovic will best Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer records, because he is just better,’ says ABCD.

Roger that!

 

[BorgTheGOAT]

All sports are ultimately entertainment products so you’re kind of wrong. Therefore NFL, NHL, etc changing the rules to encourage more offense

That does not mean that entertaining playing styles makes a player a better or greater player. I prefer hundreds of times to watch Kyrgios play than a Murray snooze fest, does not make him a greater player though.

 

[Zebrev]

In Mental Strength, he is definitely the best of the big three. But how can anyone say that Novak has a greater variety in his game than Roger?

Novak might end as the most grandslam winner of all time, but is that really the same thing as "greatest"?

If so, then I think someone else will surprass Novak Roger and Rafa very soon, within 20 years. There will be a player who has the game of one of those three, and doesn't have two others like him around to pevent him from monopolozing the slams. Then he will be "the greatest". I could see this being FAA, who already has a game like Novak and hits penetrative shots with plenty of margin to drag the opponent around.

But Roger hasn't been consodered the greatest because of his records, but the special kind of old school tennis he plays.

 

[myth]

Novak Djokovic is the best of the big three and will end up with most Grand Slam titles, says former world number one Tracy Austin.

Djokovic captured his 17th Grand Slam title in Australia earlier this month, leaving him two behind Nadal and three short of Federer in the all-time totals.

However, Tennis Channel analyst Austin believes it is only a matter of time before Djokovic establishes himself as the undisputed best when it comes to numbers at least.

“At the end of the day I think it’s going to be Novak,” Austin said.


“First of all, he’s not had a lot of wear-and-tear so I think he has another four years.

“Another four solid years where he can win on any surface.


“When Rafa is still around, Rafa’s still the GOAT on clay but I think the fact Novak has that head-to-head already against Roger and against Rafa [gives Djokovic the edge].”


Austin also believes that Djokovic got the toughest deal out of all three of them, and that only accentuates his achievements even more.


“The fact of the matter is this is the young guy who had to breakthrough and every single major that he won, he’s had to play against Roger and Rafa.”

“Roger had a kind of staggered start where he got a couple in before the other two got involved in that three-way trifecta.


“I think that’s been toughest on Novak and at the end of the day I think it’s Novak who’s going to have the most”

I understand her point of view.

Playing as a matter of fact an old version of Fed didn't make Novak's task harder. Plus he benefited from the era of playing on 1 slow surface all year round.
By the way i like Novak a lot so don't get on top of me please.

 

[PeoplesChamp]

Laver >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Austin

 

[quirotkicks]

Laver >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Austin

You mean the Laver that says Andy Murray would have done the Calendar Slam in 2017.

 

[Mainad]

“The fact of the matter is this is the young guy who had to breakthrough and every single major that he won, he’s had to play against Roger and Rafa.”

Every single major? Don't recall he had to play either of them to win his French Open title.

 

[MeatTornado]

ABCD and posting quotes after a Djokovic slam win.

Name a more iconic duo.

 

[nov]

In Mental Strength, he is definitely the best of the big three. But how can anyone say that Novak has a greater variety in his game than Roger?

Novak might end as the most grandslam winner of all time, but is that really the same thing as "greatest"?

If so, then I think someone else will surprass Novak Roger and Rafa very soon, within 20 years. There will be a player who has the game of one of those three, and doesn't have two others like him around to pevent him from monopolozing the slams. Then he will be "the greatest". I could see this being FAA, who already has a game like Novak and hits penetrative shots with plenty of margin to drag the opponent around.

But Roger hasn't been consodered the greatest because of his records, but the special kind of old school tennis he plays.

I think when Big 3 finish their careers, new players wont reach more than 10 slams because there wouldnt be so great players and more players share slams between them

 

[Tennisbg]

Suggestig Felix as the next GOAT is insulting.

 

[ChrisRF]

I think when Big 3 finish their careers, new players wont reach more than 10 slams because there wouldnt be so great players and more players share slams between them

If they all are not very good, then still every distribution is possible. One player could just be a bit better and dominate everything.

It’s the same as in football: The highest OR the lowest league can have any possible points distribution. It can be lopsided or close until the last matchday. Distribution doesn’t say anything about overall quality. It's only relative to each other of course.

 

[Deleted member 735320]

I never thought he'd be back winning majors after his fall a couple of years ago. He looks hungry and motivated. He has a chance to win in Paris again for more so than Roger, although Roger seems to struggle only with Rafa. If Rafa were on the other side of the draw and taken out by a flu or a Thiem then maybe but I don't see Rafa winning at Wimbledon again and he is vulnerable to several players on hard courts. Roger I think cant string 7 match together anymore. The Olympic gold in singles is what eludes both Roger and Novak. Either could take it this year in Japan but to truly count the gold medalist must defeat the other top 2 guys or it is an asterisk(*) medal.

 

[weakera]

How has he not had wear and tear? Novak is an incredible athlete who has probably used cutting edge medicine and tech to his advantage more than any other tennis player but he will undoubtedly face injuries again.

 

[weakera]

I never thought he'd be back winning majors after his fall a couple of years ago. He looks hungry and motivated. He has a chance to win in Paris again for more so than Roger, although Roger seems to struggle only with Rafa. If Rafa were on the other side of the draw and taken out by a flu or a Thiem then maybe but I don't see Rafa winning at Wimbledon again and he is vulnerable to several players on hard courts. Roger I think cant string 7 match together anymore. The Olympic gold in singles is what eludes both Roger and Novak. Either could take it this year in Japan but to truly count the gold medalist must defeat the other top 2 guys or it is an asterisk(*) medal.

Novak is much more vulnerable bo3 and players like Thiem much more capable of blasting him off the court, tokyo wont be easy.

 

[EdSWright]

So many wasted words over this topic. In the end, there will be about 60 slams among those three. According to the silly GOAT definitions, the greatest will have slightly over a third of those. That's a 34% strike rate.

Let me know when someone has at least a 70% strike rate.

 

[Zebrev]

Suggestig Felix as the next GOAT is insulting.

Why? he's clearly great

 

[KINGROGER]

It doesn’t matter what these tin pot players come out with. The ultimate GOAT Laver has spoken. His words overrule them all.

 

[Deleted member 763691]

We've been hearing this forever - that Djokovic will overtake Rafa/Federer.
And it never happened.
Now Djokovic is no longer in his prime, while Rafa is racking up the US Opens and French Opens....
Djokovic will never catch Rafa's slam total, and probably won't even catch Rafa's US Open total
But by all means, let the overrating continue.....

 

[Goof]

It seems more likely than not that Djoker will end up with the record, but there's still a lot of tennis left to be played. Never count Rafa or Roger out.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

“Roger had a kind of staggered start where he got a couple in before the other two got involved in that three-way trifecta.


“I think that’s been toughest on Novak and at the end of the day I think it’s Novak who’s going to have the most”

Translated into non-diplomatic English: RF benefited from the weak era 2003-2006.

 

[heninfan99]

Novak Djokovic is the best of the big three and will end up with most Grand Slam titles, says former world number one Tracy Austin.

Djokovic captured his 17th Grand Slam title in Australia earlier this month, leaving him two behind Nadal and three short of Federer in the all-time totals.

However, Tennis Channel analyst Austin believes it is only a matter of time before Djokovic establishes himself as the undisputed best when it comes to numbers at least.

“At the end of the day I think it’s going to be Novak,” Austin said.


“First of all, he’s not had a lot of wear-and-tear so I think he has another four years.

“Another four solid years where he can win on any surface.


“When Rafa is still around, Rafa’s still the GOAT on clay but I think the fact Novak has that head-to-head already against Roger and against Rafa [gives Djokovic the edge].”


Austin also believes that Djokovic got the toughest deal out of all three of them, and that only accentuates his achievements even more.


“The fact of the matter is this is the young guy who had to breakthrough and every single major that he won, he’s had to play against Roger and Rafa.”

“Roger had a kind of staggered start where he got a couple in before the other two got involved in that three-way trifecta.


“I think that’s been toughest on Novak and at the end of the day I think it’s Novak who’s going to have the most”

Well, Rafa didn't have this staggered start, nor will he have have an ending where the other two aren't around, Djokovic will be there.

 

[kevaninho]

Actually its been toughest on Nadal, sandwiched in between the 2 greatest evers primes.

Djokovic wasn't dealing with peak Fed when he was winning his majority, and Federer swept up plenty, early on, when Djokovic wasn't in the picture.

Nadal had to burst through against the greatest player we've probably ever seen, at his peak, and then in his own peak, he had this other guy named Djokovic come through, who was like nothing we've seen before.

So dealing with the greatest attacking player in his youth, and then the greatest ever defensive player later on, is what Nadal dealt with.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

Actually its been toughest on Nadal, sandwiched in between the 2 greatest evers primes.

Djokovic wasn't dealing with peak Fed when he was winning his majority, and Federer swept up plenty, early on, when Djokovic wasn't in the picture.

Nadal had to burst through against the greatest player we've probably ever seen, at his peak, and then in his own peak, he had this other guy named Djokovic come through, who was like nothing we've seen before.

So dealing with the greatest attacking player in his youth, and then the greatest ever defensive player later on, is what Nadal dealt with.

And still he holds a positive H2H in slams vs both, despite being a little les talented. That's what defines greatness more than a pretty ballerina FH or how "graceful" a player is in press conferences while speaking 11 languages...

 

[dellealpi10]

After AUS2008, at GS, Nadal 3-1 Djokovic. The gap is 2GS.

Now, after AUS2020, Nadal 19-17 Djokovic. The gap doesn’t change after 12 years.

How can Djokovic surpass Nadal?

 

[UnderratedSlam]

After AUS2008, at GS, Nadal 3-1 Djokovic. The gap is 2GS.

Now, after AUS2020, Nadal 19-17 Djokovic. The gap doesn’t change after 12 years.

How can Djokovic surpass Nadal?

You make an interesting point, but fail to realize that since 2011 it's 16-10 for Novak.

Furthermore, Novak is 3-2 since AO19.

 

[Tennisbg]

Why? he's clearly great

We can't just point at someone with zero titles and say he will be the next GOAT. It does not work like this, no one knows what will happen in the future.

 

[BVSlam]

After AUS2008, at GS, Nadal 3-1 Djokovic. The gap is 2GS.

Now, after AUS2020, Nadal 19-17 Djokovic. The gap doesn’t change after 12 years.

How can Djokovic surpass Nadal?

The gap between Federer and Nadal never got smaller than three either for practically their entire careers. And yet! It's only one now after 2019 happened! Things can change quickly, not everything always has a pattern even if we humans love those so.