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Novak Djokovic is continuously chasing history! He is at his happiest while hunting records and making history under his name. Now that the 36-year-old is ready to unleash his unparalleled skills and determination once again at the 2024 Australian Open, without Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the GOAT debates have gained more steam than ever before.

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In the world of tennis, deciding on the ultimate champion is still a huge question, Djokovic’s ‘tennis father,’ aka his childhood coach, recently shared his take on the popular discussion. He stated six hard-to-argue reasons while choosing the 24-time Grand Slam champion as his pick against Federer and Nadal.

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Novak Djokovic’s ‘tennis father’ puts up a hard-to-beat GOAT claim 

It’s been a year since the Serbian dominated the court with precision and finesse. Along with being undefeatable and leaving a legacy of achievements in the world of tennis, Novak Djokovic leads the race in Grand Slams. His childhood coach, Nikola Pilic, has put the men’s tennis debacle to rest with arguable reasons behind why he chose Djokovic as the greatest.

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He started by listing six instances and highlighted how the things the world number one has done are just unimaginable. Pilic told The Age, “In 2016, Novak had nearly 17,000 ATP points – more than Federer, Nadal and Murray combined. Two: he has a positive score with all of them. Three: He’s the only one who has won all four grand slams consecutively. Four: He has the most consecutive grand slam victories – 30 of them.” 

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He further referred to old instances that made the Serb stand out of the crowd. “Five: He has won the most grand slams – 24. Six: On January 30, he will have been No.1 for 410 weeks.”

Read more: Milos Raonic Opens up on G.O.A.T Debate Amongst Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic

Well, that was not it. After stating these six hard-to-argue reasons to support his GOAT claim against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he also explained how he is being objective with numbers regarding what the sport has seen in the past hundred years. On one hand, where Djokovic’s childhood coach chose him as the greatest of all time, Serena Williamsformer coach also got real on the same debacle.

Serena Williams’ former coach on the GOAT debate

Just a few days ago, Patrick Mouratoglou took to his X account and appreciated the 42-year-old Swiss tennis legend’s unmatchable elegance, but at the same time indirectly stated the reason that defines the GOAT criteria. He wrote, “Roger’s elegance and unmatched tennis brilliance are beyond doubt. When it comes to the GOAT debate, sports achievements are the only measure that truly matters.” 

In addition, he also concluded that it’s the sports achievement that matters in the debacle, indirectly picking the 24-time Grand Slam Champion as the best. Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Novak Djokovic being the best pick? Who do you think deserves the title of best in tennis?

Watch This Story: Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer

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Pratishtha Prakash

2,948 Articles

Pratishtha Prakash, senior tennis writer and resident analyst at EssentiallySports isn't just a sports journalist; she's a storyteller who found her true calling in tennis content. It is something she seamlessly integrates into both her professional and personal realms. At ES, she has curated more than 2400 articles, and each write-up reflects that fans are here to stay! Having professional certifications in content and digital marketing, Pratishtha has made it a habit to hone her skills as a quality journalist. Her sweet spot lies in articles exploring fan reactions and off-court tales. As an analyst, she elevates her storytelling with technical finesse. Beyond the pixels, Pratishtha trades her keyboard for the dance floor and loves to explore new places during her time off from work.

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Arunima Bhanot

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