For the second time in six years Novak Djokovic is midway to a calendar 12 months sweep of all 4 Grand Slam titles after successful the French Open for a second time on Sunday (June 13). The 34-year-old dug deep into his reserves of resilience to hit again from two sets down in opposition to Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and enhance his Grand Slam tally to 19. That takes him just one behind the lads’s file 20 held by Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer and there’s nothing to recommend the world primary is not going to surpass his two profession rivals.
He can already declare one thing neither of these two can, after his win over the 22-year-old Tsitsipas made him the primary participant within the skilled period to win every of the 4 Grand Slams a minimum of twice. Having already claimed the Australian Open this 12 months, he has a shot at changing into the primary man to win all 4 majors in the identical 12 months since Rod Laver in 1969 and he may even full a ‘Golden Slam’ by including the Olympic title in Tokyo.
“Everything is possible,” Djokovic instructed reporters. “I’ve achieved some things that a lot of people thought it would be not possible for me to achieve. Everything is possible, and I did put myself in a good position to go for the Golden Slam. But, you know, I was in this position in 2016 as well. It ended up in a third-round loss in Wimbledon.”
Wimbledon returns later this month after final 12 months`s event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Djokovic received it in 2019 and would be the favorite so as to add a sixth title on the grass, after which he’ll flip his ideas to the Olympic Games and the US Open.
“Obviously I will enjoy this win and then think about Wimbledon in a few days’ time. I don’t have an issue to say that I`m going for the title in Wimbledon,” he mentioned. “Of course I am. I won in ’18 and ’19 there. Hopefully I can keep that run going.”
Always discovering a means #RolandGarros | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/CCaJRY5gQH
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 14, 2021
As far as chasing down Federer and Nadal, Djokovic mentioned he has at all times thought of it a risk even supposing when he received his second Grand Slam title on the 2011 Australian Open, Nadal had 9 and Federer was on 16.
“I never thought it was a mission impossible to reach the Grand Slams of these guys,” Djokovic mentioned. “I mean, I’m not there, but it’s one less. But they are still playing. Obviously they’re playing great, especially Rafa with his level. We all have still opportunities at Wimbledon, all the other slams. I’ll keep on going. I’ll keep on chasing. At the same time I’ll keep on paving my own path.”
His long-time coach Marian Vajda joked after Sunday`s comeback win that he and Goran Ivanisevic, who can also be a part of the staff, would retire if Djokovic received the calendar Slam.
“I think it is possible, much more possible. He loves to play in Wimbledon and US Open,” he instructed reporters. “As much as Novak is healthy, and he’s healthy right now, he’s in great shape, I think he has ability to win the Grand Slam for this year. I’m pretty sure.”
But Djokovic mentioned some phrases of knowledge from a younger fan helped him out. “I don’t know the boy. He was in my ear the entire match basically, especially when I was two sets to love down. He was encouraging me. He was actually giving me tactics,” Djokovic, who introduced the excited fan along with his racket on the finish, mentioned.
“He was like, ‘hold your serve, get an easy first ball, then dictate, go to his backhand’. He was coaching me literally. I found that very cute, very nice.”
(with Reuters inputs)
