Djokovic fulfills his grand dream

While he has never embodied the heroism of Spain’s Rafael Nadal or the charisma of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic has remained steadfast in his grand dream of one day becoming the greatest tennis player of all time. The two other members of the Big Three, both currently at home (one retired, the other having recently undergone surgery), only made him better, stronger, tougher, and more self-assured.

On a sunny afternoon in Paris, he claimed his third Roland Garros title and his twenty-third Grand Slam trophy. No other male tennis player has more, nor won each of them at least three times until now. Moreover, he leads the ATP’s ranking of weeks at number one (387 as of now), a position he will reclaim tomorrow, once again ousting Carlos Alcaraz, whose chance to play in his second grand slam final was dashed by tension-induced cramps.

Djokovic has managed to rise above public criticism in recent years, unwarranted whistles from the crowd, incomprehension over his decision not to get vaccinated during the covid-19 pandemic, and several other decisions viewed by many as eccentricities. But he has remained true to himself and his way of understanding what it means to compete. His feat deserves huge recognition. And he’s still in top form...