The debate on choosing the best among Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, the big three of tennis, is continuing even after Federer retired from the sport. When remembering the amazing journey of the Swiss maestro, it is quite hard to miss the 2017-19 seasons which came out to be the most extraordinary ones for the legend. But was he able to topple the records of the all-conquering Nole?

As the 2023 season has almost concluded, with Novak Djokovic adding several titles to his portfolio, fans compared it to one of the best seasons of Roger Federer. Bringing an expert touch to the discussions, Serena Williams‘ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou recently surprised fans with a verdict highlighting the difference between the two legends of the sport.

Patrick Mouratoglou shares a comparative analysis of the peak seasons of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer

Roger Federer dominated the courts in 2017-19 as he won three grand slams, four ATP Masters titles, and gained the world no. 1 position at the age of 36. Although these achievements came toward the end of his career, fans and experts considered this period as one of his best. Fast forward to the present, the 2023 season proved to be glittering for the Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic.

Patrick Mouratoglou, the famous coach who guided Serena Williams for over a decade, recently compared the situations. The 53-year-old thinks there is a major difference between the two players, as he revealed in his appearance on the Eye of the Coach video by Tennis Majors.

Mouratoglou said, “I often hear that what Roger did between 2017 and 2019 is as good as what Novak is doing now, and that Roger was a better player in 2017, 2018, than before, but I think there is a major difference.” Mouratoglou also appreciated Federer for improving his backhand and becoming more aggressive in his later years, but he pointed out that Federer was not able to keep up this level throughout the season and win most of the big titles. He said, “But now at 36, 37, Roger was not able to win three out of four Grand Slams and be consistent all year long and be really, one step above all the players. This didn’t happen.” 

Stressing on the Djoker’s incredible consistency, Mouratoglou said, “The difference is Novak, he’s physically as good today as he was when he was 26. That’s a huge difference. When you are at that level physically, you can be consistent all year long, and beat all the best players in the world on a consistent basis. That’s a big difference.” The French coach’s comments come after Djokovic won the ATP Finals along with three grand slam titles in the same year, where he also completed a record 400 weeks as the world no. 1.

Djokovic’s 2023 season at a glance

Novak Djokovic has been an unstoppable force in 2023 as he broke several records and won seven titles. The Serbian star has been the world No. 1 for 401 weeks, the longest in men’s tennis history. He also became the most successful player in men’s singles majors, winning his 23rd and 24th titles at the French Open and the US Open.

With this, the legend increased his numbers to reach 36 Grand Slam finals and 47 Grand Slam semifinals, a feat that overcame Roger Federer’s previous records. While the Serbinator proved his excellent skills on all surfaces, his plans for the upcoming season do not indicate a period of rest. Instead, the legend looks forward to breaking more records and thereby making his name immortal in the history books of tennis.

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