Novak Djokovic’s ‘game undoubtedly the most complete on the Tour’, says Toni Nadal

Australian Open
Novak Djokovic with the Australian Open trophy

Decisiveness, a fighting spirit and a desire to improve are just some of the qualities that have turned Novak Djokovic into one of the best players in tennis, according to esteemed coach Toni Nadal.

Djokovic was in supreme form during the fortnight at Melbourne Park as he wiped all before him to secure a 10th Australian Open crown and he now jointly holds the record for most Grand Slams with Rafael Nadal as they are both on 22.

The Serbian, who returned to No 1 in the ATP Rankings on the back of his run, dispatched Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in Sunday’s final on Rod Laver Arena with another brutal display of tennis.

Toni Nadal, Rafael’s uncle and former coach, feels Djokovic’s latest achievement “should astonish the people of the tennis world”.

“His game is undoubtedly the most complete on the Tour, which allows him to play both attacking and defending,” Toni, who is currently mentoring Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, wrote in his column for El Pais.

“He is decisive and a fighter to the point of exhaustion, and he responds with astonishing serenity in moments of maximum tension.

“He also has the ambition and the consequent desire to continue improving. Proof of this is his service, highly perfected in recent times.

“In the first set, the player from Athens [Tsitsipas] wanted to play Novak precisely, one on one, with fast and aggressive shots, constantly changing the directions of his shots. So it still seems almost impossible to beat him, unless you are Roger Federer.

“As much as we are already used to it, what the Serbian player has achieved is as amazing as it is admirable.

“That 15 years after that 2008 [edition of the Australian Open], in which he lifted his first major in Melbourne, he has done it again for the 10th time there, and with such an impressive tennis level, should astonish the people of the world of tennis.”

Djokovic himself was delighted with his form in Australia.

“In terms of the quality of the tennis, it’s honestly some of the best tennis I’ve played on this court,” the Serbian said. “As good as I’ve played maybe 2011 or ’15 or ’16 or those years where I really had some very strong, strong seasons and strong Australian Opens.

“I would rank it right up there. Maybe top two, three of all time of performances on Slams in general, particularly here.”

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic’s 2023 tennis schedule: Where is he competing next and his season so far…

Novak Djokovic Toni Nadal

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