Dan Evans on ‘gymnast’ Novak Djokovic: ‘The way he stretches it’s like watching a 14 year-old’
Dan Evans believes Novak Djokovic will once again be the player to beat in 2023, especially at the Australian Open, saying being on the wrong side of 35 “isn’t such a big thing these days”.
Djokovic played only 11 tournaments this year and a total of 49 matches as he missed the Australian Open as well as the North American hard-court swings due to his unvaccinated status, yet he still managed to win five titles – including Wimbledon and the season-ending ATP Finals.
He is expected to play a full calendar next year as he has already been given the green light to compete in the season-opening Grand Slam at Melbourne Park as his three-year visa ban has been overturned.
The United States and Canada are expected to follow suit next year as Covid-19 restrictions are starting to fall away.
Evans recently bumped into Djokovic, who turns 36 in May next year, in a gym at the Puente Romano club in Marbella, Spain, and the British No 2 remains impressed by the 21-time Grand Slam winner when it comes to his health and fitness status.
“Novak was around and I saw him in the gym a bit and had a couple of chats with him. When you look at him in the gym, he looks like a gymnast – the way he stretches it’s like watching a 14 year-old. So if his body doesn’t break down he has to be in a great position,” he is quoted as saying by Daily Mail.
“He had just got confirmation that he can go to Australia and he is pretty pumped about it. When you look at how he finished the year, and his ranking with how little he played compared to others, he is definitely the favourite for Australia and [defending champion Rafael] Nadal is probably second favourite.
“I reckon Novak still believes he is the best by miles and his game looks as sure as ever.
“Novak and Rafa are in their mid-thirties but sport is changing. You look at [Argentina captain Lionel] Messi in recent weeks and someone like [France forward] Olivier Giroud. Then you look at someone like Andy [Murray] and what he is doing with a metal hip. 35 really isn’t such a big thing these days.”
Evans also praised one of the rising stars of the game, Great Britain’s Jack Draper.
The 21-year-old started the year outside the top 250 in the ATP Rankings, but finished the campaign at No 42 – beating the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I would say he will definitely finish in the top 20 this season and I can see him going higher from there. He seems pretty level-headed and although it’s his second full year on tour I don’t see too many issues for him,” Evans said.
“He has got a very big game. I was there in Montreal (where he reached the quarter finals of the Canadian Open) and he made it look like he was playing a Futures event.”
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