Is Novak Djokovic already the best tennis player of his era?
Live MintAfter winning the Australian Open a couple of years ago, Novak Djokovic faced a question from a veteran Italian journalist whose style is to downplay the achievement of the moment and look ahead. As Wimbledon got underway this week, Djokovic is the overwhelming favorite to win, which would put him in a very special tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20 Grand Slam titles each. Vojin Velickovic, who has followed Djokovic’s career for years for Belgrade-based Sportski Zurnal, says that Gencic, who died in June 2013 during the French Open, was impressed early on by his single-mindedness. Commentating on Djokovic’s Monday match at Wimbledon, Becker said such a crisis usually defines champions: “The question is how do you bounce back?…Here we are at 19 Slams.” Indeed, Djokovic’s recent defeat of Nadal at the French Open, which the Spaniard has won 13 times, may prove another turning point. Fourteen years ago, while following Djokovic around for an article on tennis’ new star as he practiced at Wimbledon, I overheard his mother teaching his father a new word in English.