Bubcay
Legend
That might be true. But the numbers are numbers, and they will always stand by his name.
Novak Djokovic and the battle for the unprecedented 7th year ending number one title
- Thread starter Hitman
- Start date
Bubcay
Legend
I thought the same when Sampras ended his run. Look what happened after
. Anyway, you are probably right about the new generations as a lot of them lack commitment and consistency to achieve that level of greatness.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Yep.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Yes, and Novak is about the numbers. Those are the things that motivate him, would seem crazy that a guy with three slams fails to be number one. He's got to go for it.
Sampras-Bruguera 1993
Legend
He could also get hurt due to overplaying this year for his age and cost him the slam record next year. Which is more important than some random year end title that no one really notices.
Chanwan
G.O.A.T.
He will get it even ud he doesn't go for it. Med needs to clean up to have a chance, I doubt he will
James P
G.O.A.T.
There's four weeks between the US Open final and the opening rounds of Indian Wells.
James P
G.O.A.T.
It says a lot about the light schedule Novak played
Bubcay
Legend
Yes, it is amazing what he was able to achieve and stay in form with playing so little this year.
James P
G.O.A.T.
100% agree. He's in first place in the race by 2000 points despite playing five fewer tournaments.
last year was a very decimated year, so he needs this year # 1, then he has 1 more real year # 1 than federer and nadal.
Ray Mercer
Hall of Fame
Medvedev just made the supposed GOAT look like a club player in straight sets. A 2015 Fed put up a hell of a lot better fight against a prime Djokovic. Djokovic has been beating up on injured veterans and young underachievers for years.
terribleIVAN
Hall of Fame
Novak isn't a fool.
Unless he's injured, he will make sure to get that 7th year nr 1 spot.
Unless he's injured, he will make sure to get that 7th year nr 1 spot.
InsideOut900
Legend
He skipped 4 Masters 1000 and played 2 this year. What overplaying? He barely played besides Slams.
Nadal_Django
Legend
Sadly I think he is done for the season.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Come chill bestie
On a serious note. Taking the rest of the season off could be the best thing that he could possibly do tbh. The man works HARD AF. He deserves time to chill, unwind, enjoy his family and friends, and come back and destroy the tour at the AO. I know he cares about records, and imo he will probably play and get the YE#1.... but to me it's foolish. Fed and Nadal are resting, age 35 is coming up for him, he needs to do the same.
ForehandCross
G.O.A.T.
D
Deleted member 762343
Guest
If Medvedev needs to have a nearly flawless end of season while Djokovic just has to have a decent one, we can safely assume YE#1 is probably Djokovic's.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
No, he needs this to further strengthen his case IMO. 7th year end number one pulls him 2 ahead of Fedal, creating real space between them, it breaks the tie with Sampras. These are huge things, you speak about him firmly being in the conversation, well this is what enchances his argument.
The real question is, will he go for it or not.
Nadal_Django
Legend
I don't think Djokovic plays anything until 2022 ATP Cup sadly tbh. His whole tone at the post USO press conference was one big " I had enough of tennis for the foreseeable future" vibe. Let's see what happens, but I strongly believe that Medvedev has YE #1 safely in his bag.
Sunny014
Legend
It will make Novak break free with your guru PETER whose last record will be broken
Subway Tennis
Legend
Honestly I could understand if Djokovic wants to take the rest of the year off. It's what i think he should do.
This 2021 is one the greatest player seasons ever, and he doesnt need a computer ranking to remind people of that. He is still a good chance to get the YE 1 anyway even if he doesnt hit another ball because of the extraordinary season he has had.
He carried the mental pressure of the Grand Slam incredibly well but at the moment it seems like he is in some serious need of some R&R. We have only seen glimpses of the mental effort this guy has expended and the toll it has taken, but those glimpses showed us a lot.
My opinion, and I understand this is not a popular one, is that going to the Olympics was one of the worst season management decisions Djokovic has ever made.
The cumulative impact of the Olympics experiment, and the pressure release after his extraordinary run in New York can't be discounted.
I really think he should shut it down and give himself some much needed rest and his family some time to have with him away from the spotlight.
He also deserves a significant amount of non-playing time to reflect on the enormity of what he actually has done. It would be a shame if he grinds the rest of this season and doesnt get a chance to bask in the glory of what he has done. He fell one match short on a quest that requires more obsession and mental focus than anything else in the game.
This 2021 is one the greatest player seasons ever, and he doesnt need a computer ranking to remind people of that. He is still a good chance to get the YE 1 anyway even if he doesnt hit another ball because of the extraordinary season he has had.
He carried the mental pressure of the Grand Slam incredibly well but at the moment it seems like he is in some serious need of some R&R. We have only seen glimpses of the mental effort this guy has expended and the toll it has taken, but those glimpses showed us a lot.
My opinion, and I understand this is not a popular one, is that going to the Olympics was one of the worst season management decisions Djokovic has ever made.
The cumulative impact of the Olympics experiment, and the pressure release after his extraordinary run in New York can't be discounted.
I really think he should shut it down and give himself some much needed rest and his family some time to have with him away from the spotlight.
He also deserves a significant amount of non-playing time to reflect on the enormity of what he actually has done. It would be a shame if he grinds the rest of this season and doesnt get a chance to bask in the glory of what he has done. He fell one match short on a quest that requires more obsession and mental focus than anything else in the game.
Sunny014
Legend
Hitman
Bionic Poster
I can understand his dejection straight after a slam final loss, but remember he also once said he was skipping the grass season after a tough loss at RG. I would not take what he said too seriously.
7th year ending number one is massive, Sampras fought tooth and nail to get thst 6th year ending number one. I remember it all too well. There were three things Pete prided himself on helped his GOAT status.
Most slams
Most weeks at number one
Most year ending number ones
Djokovic knows this all too well. This is his only shot at holding both ranking records and it will be a very long time before someone beats those numbers, plus goes up 360 weeks at number one.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
For the record books he does.
He does not even need to win too much, a couple of three set matches against lower ranked opponents will pretty much seal it. He knows this. No best of five grinds left and he can pick and choose, he does not need to play every one of them. The record is too big to just sit down and watch it slip away.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Agree. The record is too big to let it slip without at least trying for it. He eclipses Pete here and puts clear space between him and Fedal, that cannot be underplayed.
Subway Tennis
Legend
Fair. I really hope he plays sparingly though and has the rest of the year to reflect on what he achieved this year already and can share that with his family.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
I think he will do just that, play just enough to get the record.
Nadal_Django
Legend
I hear ya, but I don't think Djokovic at this phase of his career rates YE #1 that highly tbh. Not as much as his fans do and not as much for him to sacrifice quality time spend with his family anyway. Let's see what happens. But i will be mega surprised if we see Djokovic on tennis court again this year tbh...
Tennisgods
Hall of Fame
Indeed, not happening, even thinking hypothetically it sounds like a ridiculous amount of unlikely things would need to happen even for Med to squeeze past Djok. This one is decided.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
I think he does. What some people don't see is that he has been living with the burden of the CYGS since Wimbledon really. So of course just as that comes to an end, he would not want to think about this massive goal. He just needs that mental time off for two or three weeks and then say, what is next. Waiting out until AO2022 is not his style, plus it is too much time off.
I can understand that some fans of his rivals would rather he recharge, I mean they care so much for his welfare
although the real reason is, it pretty much ends Nadal's chances of catching him there and takes away the one big record Pete has. He knows this all too well.He may shut it down, his haters will like that, but considering he does not even need to win titles, just win a couple of matches and he has the whole fall season for it, it would be crazy to not give it a go IMO.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Yes, also how much motivation would Med have to push himself to get it. Best three is a lot more competitive for the next gen guys.
There is no right or wrong but to think that winning one more major or one more YEC will totally catapult Djokovic into a different sphere overshadowing the body of work put in by Federer and Nadal is where I think you are wrong
Novak has one more YE at #1 than Rafa and Roger, ending this year would put him 2 more years at #1 and have the YE record alone, that he shares with Sampras now. Novak, if he is healthy, would be foolish not to try to end this year at #1.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
No. This is where you are wrong. Where have I said anything about one more major or YEC?
I am talking about having the dominant metrics as far as the number one records are concerned. Having two year end number ones over Fedal only enhances his case for the argument when you look at the total body of work as a whole. To dismiss this is downplaying it intentionally. As I said before, Sampras prided himself on having 6 year end number ones, though he had six in a row.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Yes. Exactly. He takes the record for his own and surpasses Pete, which is no easy feat. Plus it means someone will need 8 supplant him at the top, the task becomes that much harder.
in my opinion, the big 3 are the same level of players and a few titles and YE No 1 is not going to sway my opinion of one over the other.
I firmly believed that Djokovic was part of the big 3 much before 20 majors and I would hold the same view even if he gets couple more titles or YE1
vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
Hitman
Bionic Poster
It isn't about swaying your opinion. It is about Novak strengthening his case for the history books, since the numbers will remain after it is all said and done. All three are ATG and I don't believe in GOAT personally, but doesn't mean people will look back at these numbers and not see who was topping the most seasons overall.
RaulRamirez
Legend
I'd like to see him hold onto his 7th YE#1, but he has to listen to his body, and also see where he is now mentally.
One issue is that tennis has a very short off-season, and I think he'll want to be at his best for the AO.
But if we concede that OE Goathood comes down (for now) to The Big 3, I don't see either Roger or Rafa catching him in YE#1s, or weeks. There is a chance Rafa can capture a 6th, but will he be healthy, motivated and in good enough form to do so for a full year?
As discussed on other threads, when you look at the Race to Turin numbers, his lead over Med is not insurmountable -- 1,990 points with at least two M1000s to come, and of course, up to 1,500 points at stake at the ATP Finals. How big of a push will Med make, and can he keep his excellent HC form? Z and Tsit are mathematically alive, but one of them would really have to run the table.
One issue is that tennis has a very short off-season, and I think he'll want to be at his best for the AO.
But if we concede that OE Goathood comes down (for now) to The Big 3, I don't see either Roger or Rafa catching him in YE#1s, or weeks. There is a chance Rafa can capture a 6th, but will he be healthy, motivated and in good enough form to do so for a full year?
As discussed on other threads, when you look at the Race to Turin numbers, his lead over Med is not insurmountable -- 1,990 points with at least two M1000s to come, and of course, up to 1,500 points at stake at the ATP Finals. How big of a push will Med make, and can he keep his excellent HC form? Z and Tsit are mathematically alive, but one of them would really have to run the table.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Slay
Julian Houston
Semi-Pro
Nadal will make more runs in RG as well. Djokovic won't be so lucky to get another night semi against Nadal.
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