Novak's Greatness

I think you are exaggerating. No doubt about it, Nole can overcome adversity and is up there with anyone. But whether or not he is apart from them is something else. How can you measure it? Is it just your emotional reaction to his journey? Also, some of the adversity you mention is questionable. Racket change? Service motion? Isn't that just development. Marital problems? That's on him if his personal life is a mess. The DQ? A drama he created or at least set in motion. Adria tour? Again, his fault to some degree. Pepe? I don't get that. That was his choice. The fallout may have been adversity, but as is common with Nole, the adversity was a little bit down to his decision making. It's still adversity but it's not overcoming constant injuries like delpo has or grief like Sampras.
If I had to give props to Nole for facing and overcoming adversity, I would do it on the following: Growing up in a country without any real tennis infrastructure and an unstable political environment, having to deal with two ATGs to establish himself as the great he is, coming back in countless matches to win and improve his record. That's it, and most greats have to do the last two. The first one, though is really cool. That is something to come out of Serbia and lead the tennis world like he has.
But yes Novak is great. Along with other greats. I don't see the need to set him apart like this.
 
Kralingen said:
We laugh at his new age posturing about energy pyramids and the anti vax/Adria tour stuff but I seriously think he wouldn’t be half the player without the hard headedness. To do truly great things you must be at least a little bit irrational.

What kind of kid believes he will actually be #1 in the world at anything? What 20 year old faces World #1 Federer who has won 11 of the past 15 slams and has the nerve to dictate rallies and win a TB with the match on the line? There is an inner craziness to Djokovic that crosses the path from the logical, sensible dialogue of most people to the truly absurd. After a point, the most helpful mindset is not the most truthful one, it is the one that convinces you that you will succeed. It was pure defiance to hit the 2010 USO return he did on match point and he’s done it over and over again in his career. Djokovic may say and do unexplainable or dumb things but the irrationality and stubbornness is an integral part of his success, not a detriment.

This is of course why Michael Jordan is known as a bad human being and many top athletes are known as miserable people with family issues. Djokovic is certainly the most psychotic at his core about winning and it’s helped him.
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There's also something essentially male in the 'toujours l'audace' you're talking about, possibly influenced by testosterone. Men are much more apt to take risks and not feel as much panic or pressure in the attempt due to biology. Also, don't underestimate the confidence Djokovic must have felt growing up, being able to beat everybody regardless of age. He knew what he could do by the time he was about 10 years old. He told 60 minutes, about Nadal and Federer, "I respected them too much", or words to that effect.
 
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