He is said to be the most complete player in the history of Tennis by many critics and commentators of the game and though there still remains a divided house on him being the GOAT ( Greatest Player of all Times ), Novak Djokovic’s achievement on the court are simply unprecedented and strikingly incredible. His victory in the Finals of Wimbledon 2022 yesterday has further accentuated his unbelievable journey from a small town in Serbia, a childhood in the midst of War, to a 21 time Grand Slam winner.
Novak faced the unpredictable, temperamental though extremely talented Australian Nick Kyrgios in the Finals. Kyrgios had an amazing tournament displaying a brilliant array of strokeplay to reach the Finals and even during the course of the match with Novak, Kyrgios played amazingly well and entertained the spectators no end. Inspite of some top notch Tennis, Kyrgios still fell short and was unable to surmount the mountain named Novak Djokovic and succumbed in 4 sets.
I have been following Tennis for a long time now and have seen the evolution of the sport from the early 80s to its present avatar. Several players too have come and gone, however Novak Djokovic, the last edition of the game’s most dominating trilogy ( the other two being Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal ) has left me wondering as to what is so exclusive and so differentiating between him and the rest of the players.
The professional Tennis circuit is extremely competitive with the players both male and female depending on a big support structure, a team of coaches, hitting partners, nutritionists, trainers and psychologists. The talent too is abundant, the athleticism exceptional and work ethics of the highest order. The hardwork put in by the players is phenomenal. The physical and mental health too is closely monitored by paid specialists and every nuance of the game worked upon and improved. However, Novak Djokovic has been a force and seemingly unbeatable particularly on Grass Courts of Wimbledon ( he has been unbeaten on the Wimbledon Centre Court since 2013 ) and the hardcourts of Australia where he has won 9 Titles.
Novak too has a similar team as many many others. He practices hard, has a gluten free diet comprising of a special honey from New Zealand and has support for improving his mental toughness. So if he does the same as all others what sets him apart on the court ?. A few questions have to be answered before this can be determined.
Can self belief be taught or coached ?, can ambitions be transformed into uncompromising and unflinching objectives ? and can jangling nerves and the pumping adrenaline be calmed when you are all alone fighting a lone battle on a tennis court or otherwise ?. In my view, the answer is ‘ No ‘. Novak is blessed with the ability to control these factors where no coach can help, which eventually differentiate him from the rest of the highly talented pack. That is why he plays his best tennis on important points when the stakes are high and is a formidable opponent in defining moments of a match.
Novak is therefore a special player of his generation, matchless to say the least. There is something divine and blessed with him, something incredible.
The little boy from Serbia, who held on to his dreams so strongly, nurtured them, never to let them go, is a lesson for all of us.
So hold on to your dreams !!…never to let them go…a blessing might just be round the corner.
