Novak does deserve more credit for the bananas dedication to his personal health he has. You don’t hear any other pro player with the stretching routine and diet he puts himself through. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that he’s one of the most durable athletes in tennis history.
the “polite” discourse we have around injuries as if they are completely out of the athlete’s control isn’t fully true. Obviously he is far luckier than guys like DelPo, Murray, Nadal, basically the entire New Balls Gen, but it’s not ALL luck. It’s a shame, certainly, that others have struggled with injuries but this is pro sports. The ability to sustain physical condition is part of the job description… we don’t mourn the juniors who had career ending injuries, do we? This is war. And in your 30s, that knowledge of one’s body and dedication to health is 1000% a skill and not luck.
You can’t tell me that injury prevention due to Monk-like asceticism and yogi level stretching isn’t a legitimate competitive advantage he has. With the razor thin margins at the top level, being able to show up prepared physically is almost as important as your shotmaking and serve.
Sometimes the best ability is availability. Truth hurts
