Patrick McEnroe analyses why Novak Djokovic is the GOAT

Ewan West 14 Jun 2023 8:11 PM

Novak Djokovic with 23rd Grand Slam

Patrick McEnroe has labelled Novak Djokovic as the greatest tennis player ever after the Serb’s record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam triumph.

The former French Open doubles champion highlighted the 36-year-old’s ability to produce his best tennis under pressure as one of his key qualities.

Djokovic saw off Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the 2023 French Open on Sunday to claim his third title at Roland Garros.

The victory saw him overtake his great rival Rafael Nadal to become the sole leader of the men’s Grand Slam singles title race.

The world No 1 has now won the first two majors of the season – the Australian Open and Roland Garros – for the third time in his career after 2016 and 2021.

Speaking on the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast, the former doubles world No 3 assessed what makes Djokovic such a formidable player and champion.

“Novak has that ability, which is part of the reason why he’s the greatest ever. Understanding when he needs to be aggressive, when he needs to be neutral, when to be defensive, when to go to the slice, when to come in, when to take chances on the second serve,” explained the American.

“There’s no better adjuster to what’s going on, ever. Part of it is because he’s so malleable with his strokes. I’ve talked to sports people who love watching Roger [Federer], we all did. [Rafael] Nadal’s got this intensity. How can Djokovic be so good? Because they can’t see it.

“They don’t really get tennis. They don’t get the fundamental, the technique, his ability to calibrate shots with the exact same swings, to hit the ball at 55% or 95% and everything in between. That’s his greatness and his ability to manage over the course of a match.

“It’s also what I see is his incredible ability to play his best when it matters most. He has lost in major finals. You know, he’s beaten them (his rivals) more than they beat him. To beat him, you got to be at your absolute best. He never plays a bad match in a big spot. Never.”

McEnroe also discussed the Serb’s prowess in the best-of-five set format of Grand Slam tournaments.

“Not only fitness-wise is he arguably even better than these guys (other players), but because he has so many different ways to play over the course of a long match, it starts to favour him even more and more,” he continued.

“Unless he hits the wall physically, which in my view is kind of the only way to beat him in best-of-five. Unless you’re Roger [Federer], you just beat him because you’re Roger.

“Or you’re Rafa, you grind them down because you can do that, he can do that on clay and to a certain extent he can be there on a hard court.”