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Hall of Fame
"I am not sure why, but Novak Djokovic has an enduring image as a brash and egotistical player who could sometimes offend colleagues and fans in his younger days. That image has no bearing on the reality of the Djokovic who stands today in the forefront of the game. They say that a player defines himself most meaningfully in the hard face of defeat rather than in the comfort of victory. When a great player loses, the sting of failure can be almost unbearable at times. The best competitors are expected to win with regularity, to come through steadily when it matters the most, to translate talent into success time and time again. Djokovic has dealt well with those lofty expectations—both his own and those of his growing legion of boosters. But his propensity for handling defeats has been second to none in his profession. The year 2014 was no exception to that rule. He lost a heartbreaker to Wawrinka in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, coming out on the wrong end of a 9-7 fifth set. He lost his second French Open final to Nadal in the spring, and that was the fifth time in his last six major title round matches that the Serbian had been beaten. Djokovic held back Federer in the Wimbledon final for his seventh career Grand Slam tournament title, but then was ushered out of the U.S. Open semifinals by Nishikori on an oppressive day. Plainly, Djokovic was not himself, and could not impose his physicality as he surprisingly wilted in the heat. But, typically, he offered no excuses when it was over, stressing that the conditions were the same for both players. He saluted Nishikori for a sterling performance. He conducted himself the way we wish champions always would when they lose big matches—with class, restraint and character. I choose Novak Djokovic as Sportsman of the Year. One of these days, the public will realize that no one in the upper regions of tennis copes with tough losses better than he does. No one."
Link http://www.tennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=14677
Link http://www.tennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=14677