Will Novak Djokovic go past Rafael Nadal’s 22? GOAT debate is open again

Novak Djokovic reopened the debate over who the greatest men’s tennis player in history is as he won the Wimbledon 2022 title on Sunday, his 21st Grand Slam title. That leaves the Serbian one behind Spanish legend Rafael Nadal, who has 22, and one ahead of Roger Federer, who has 20.

Unseeded Kyrgios got a walkover in the semifinals from Nadal who withdrew from the tournament after suffering a seven-millimetre abdominal tear in the second set of the quarterfinal match against American Taylor Fritz.

Also read: 4 factors that swung the Wimbledon final in Novak Djokovic’s favour

If Nadal had made a successful bid at the Wimbledon title this year, he would’ve put a formidable three-title gap between him and Djokovic and Roger Federer. Because Djokovic won, they are now one Grand Slam title apart.

Djokovic could’ve equalled Nadal’s 22 at the US Open starting next month but there is a complication. He is unlikely to play in the tournament as he has refused to take the coronavirus vaccine, without which he cannot enter the US. 

Djokovic said in an interview ahead of Wimbledon, “As of today, I am not allowed to enter the states under these circumstances.” He had also announced that he is open to miss tournaments, including major ones, in order to protect his choice of “what enters his body.”

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The next Grand Slam tournament after the US Open will be held in January 2023 in Australia, which has banned Djokovic for three years. Djokovic missed this year’s Australian Open amid controversy over his anti-vaccine stand. He fought a legal battle against the Australian government to be able to play at the tournament, but lost and was deported and banned. 

That made it easier for Nadal to win the Australian Open, his 21st Grand Slam title. The Spaniard then swept past Djokovic in the quarter-final on his turf, the French Open, to pick up his 22nd.

Also read: Djokovic ‘is a bit of God’: Kyrgios praises Wimbledon winner after final

If Djokovic’s anti-vaccine stand continues to clash with Covid protocols at Slam venues, his first chance to equal Rafa will be in next year’s French Open. If Rafael Nadal is back from injury and playing, he will not give that one up easily. Rafa has won a whopping 14 French Open titles, including this year’s. 

It could then well be Wimbledon, a full one year from now, that Djokovic will get to equal Nadal. Djokovic last won a grand slam title a year ago at Wimbledon. He has won the Wimbledon seven times, the last four in a row.

Also read: Watch: Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon 2022 winning moment

Djokovic is 35, a year younger than Nadal, who is also battling a grave injury. None of them is a young man on the tennis court. During his quarterfinal match against Taylor Fritz at the Wimbledon earlier this week, Nadal suffered a 7mm abdominal tear, which forced him out of the tournament. It is the second injury of a similar nature in his career, and his return date is still unknown.

The next active player with the most Grand Slams won, Roger Federer, is also recuperating from an injury for over a year now and will not be returning before 2023. He will be 41 next month and won his last Grand Slam title more than four years ago at the Australian Open in 2018.

Also read: Wimbledon 2022 final: What prompted Nick Kyrgios’ meltdown in third set vs Novak Djokovic

What is clear is that no one else is catching up with the Big Three – as Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are called – for a number of years. World number 1 Daniil Medvedev has one Grand Slam title – last year’s US Open, when he beat Djokovic in the final, denying him his 21st title and the chance to get ahead of Nadal and Federer. World number 2 Alexander Zverev has won one. 

Number four on the list of most Grand Slam titles is Pete Sampras (14) who retired from professional tennis two decades ago. The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, played in England, and the US Open make up the Grand Slam.

Also read: It’s officially a bromance: Djokovic heaps praises on Kyrgios after Wimbledon win

Djokovic today became the first men’s player to win seven titles at two Grand Slam tournaments – He has nine Australian Opens, seven Wimbledons, three US opens, and two French Opens.

Rafael Nadal has his 14 French Opens, four US Opens, two Wimbledons, and two Australian Opens. 

Roger Federer has eight Wimbledons, six Australian Opens, five US Opens, and one French Open.