Novak Djokovic’s run to the Wimbledon semi-finals earlier this month sparked a familiar debate that has no clear answer.
At the age of 39, Djokovic continued to prove he is one of the top players in the game and if Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz were not as brilliant as they have been over the last two-and-a-half years, the Serbian may now be closing in on 30 Grand Slams.
As it is, Djokovic has been stuck on 24 Grand Slam titles since his last major arrived at the 2023 US Open, with each passing major ensuring his hopes of winning a 25th look more unlikely.
Even if he fails to win any more Grand Slams, Djokovic remains a step ahead of most players in the men’s game and that has led some observers to suggest the chasing pack are falling short of the standards they need to test the veteran champion.
Felix Auger-Aliassime was the latest top 10 ranked player to come up short in a battle with Djokovic, as he lost a compelling Wimbledon quarter-final against the seven-time All England Club champion.
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Their five-hour and 15-minute battle was another example of Djokovic’s incredible staying power, but did it also highlight the lack of quality in the players currently chasing the top prizes in men’s tennis.
Patrick Mouratoglou, who is a former coach of Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, has now given his verdict on the Djokovic debate on LinkedIn, as he insisted the brilliance of the Serbian should not be underestimated.
“Every time Novak Djokovic beats a Top 10 player, I read the same comment: “The Top 10 isn’t as strong as it used to be.” I completely disagree,” he wrote.
“People seem to forget who Novak Djokovic is. He is the greatest player our sport has ever seen. And the greatest competitor.
“At 39, of course he’s no longer as fast as he was. His movement isn’t the same, his reaction time isn’t the same. That’s normal. But you don’t lose your tennis, you lose speed, you don’t lose your understanding of the game, your anticipation, your decision-making or the ability to perform under pressure. Those qualities are still there.
“That’s why he can still beat the best players in the world. His five-set victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime at Wimbledon is another example.
“Some people saw it as proof that today’s Top 10 isn’t strong enough. I saw something completely different; I saw one of the greatest competitors in the history of sport finding a way to win another huge match.”
Mourtoglou went on to praise Djokovic for his Wimbledon performances as he added: “What impressed me even more at Wimbledon was his level in the early rounds. Against Stefanos Tsitsipas, I thought Novak played his best tennis in a long time. Probably the best I’ve seen since his Australian Open semifinal victory over Jannik Sinner. After that, his level dropped.
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“At the same time, Sinner kept improving round after round. Going into their semifinal, I still believed Novak could raise his level again because he knew exactly what would be required to challenge Jannik over five sets. In the end, Sinner was simply too strong.
“But reaching another Wimbledon semifinal at 39 and continuing to defeat the very best players tells me one thing; Never underestimate greatness. Especially when it belongs to someone who has built his entire career on competing better than anyone else.”
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