Novak Djokovic hailed as ‘absolutely the greatest of all-time’ as his legacy is debated
Novak Djokovic’s achievements in tennis will leave a lasting legacy long after he hangs up his rackets, yet the impact he has made on Serbian tennis is impossible to calculate.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is arguably the most famous person to have emerged from Serbia, with his status as a global superstar secured long ago.
Now Serbian tennis star Olga Danilovic has opened up on what Djokovic means to tennis players in his homeland.
The 23-year-old is a rising star on the WTA Tour and reached the fourth round at this year’s French Open in a run that included a victory against top ten star Danielle Collins at Roland Garros.
When she was asked by the ITF to describe what Djokovic means to her, Danilovic offered up a glowing response.
“Having Novak represent our country in the best way possible and taking care of every player there is on tour, especially Serbians, is massive,” said Danilovic, who is competing in the ITF World Tennis Tour W100 event in Barcelona this week.
“He is always there for us and he always finds time for us. He is a very down-to-earth guy. Having him is such a blessing.
“I’m not sure we are entirely conscious of the kind of person we have in our country, but we have to appreciate him so much. As tennis players, we understand how tough it is to achieve what we have done, so he is a true blessing.
“He is absolutely the greatest player of all time. Being Serbian and having his name as every record in No. 1, it’s something we are all so proud of. He is going to leave a crazy legacy behind of being the greatest athlete in the world. He has that Serbian mentality.”
Djokovic is not just a leader on the tennis court, as he is also striving to help players in the areas.
When Danilovic references Djokovic’s desire to ‘take care of every player on tour’, she may well be referencing his eagerness to encourage a wider distribution of prize money to players lower down the tennis rankings.
Novak Djokovic News
Novak Djokovic and Emma Raducanu are suffering from the same problem – for very different reasons
He has led the formation of the PTPA group that has vowed to assist players in any disputes they may have with the ATP and WTA Tours, with predictable resistance to what has been described as a ‘players’ union’.
“I was in their shoes, I understand the struggle,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion told ESPN as he discussed the prize money debate.
“I understand the difficulties of paying the costs for travel if you don’t have the backing of a strong federation, which 90 per cent or even more of the players around the world don’t have, and not having the budget to pay for coaches and physiotherapists. Coming from Serbia, I didn’t have any of that.
“Now that I have influence, I have power, and I want to fight for better conditions.
“We talk so much about how much money the US Open winners make but we are not talking about how many players, both men and women, singles, doubles, all together, professionals live from this sport.
“It’s less than 400 (players) max for a sport that is super global and then it’s one of the most-watched sports on the planet. That’s poor. That’s a failure for our sport.”
Djokovic’s eagerness to improve tennis may well move up a level when his own career draws to a close after he confirmed he is eager to retain a voice in the sport following his retirement.
“My love for tennis will never fade away,” Djokovic stated. “I have a lot of emotions when I’m playing, and not particularly only in the tournament, but also in practice sessions.
“Sometimes it’s not always going your way, but I think my relationship with tennis goes much deeper than a tournament or a year or success or failure.
“Even when I retire from professional tennis, I feel like I’m going to stay in tennis, stay involved in different roles because I feel like I owe this sport a lot for what it has been giving to me.”
For players like Danilovic, the example set by Djokovic on and off the court will ensure his legacy extends long after his days of winning are over.
Read Next: Novak Djokovic breaks sensational Roger Federer longevity record at the Shanghai Masters
