John McEnroe gushed over Novak Djokovic after the Serbian won his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open. After he was denied entry into the United States due to refusing a coronavirus vaccination in 2022, the 36-year-old returned to Flushing Meadows this past year determined to win his fourth title in New York.
Following a scare in the third round when he recovered from two sets down to beat compatriot Laslo Djere, Djokovic stormed through the field to win his third major of 2023. This is the fourth time in the tennis legend’s illustrious career that he has claimed a hat-trick of Grand Slams in the same season, and McEnroe was left in awe of the World No. 1’s staggering achievements.
He Djokovic) is one of the most remarkable athletes you will see in any sport in every way possible,” the seven-time major winner told ESPN in September. “The drive, the hunger, the will he still has after all his achievements is crazy. He is one in a billion.
“I love Roger (Federer), I idolised Rod Laver. I have the greatest respect for Rafa Nadal who gives more of an effort consistently. But this guy. I don’t even know where to begin. You just have to admire him.” Djokovic’s latest win at one of tennis’ four biggest tournaments placed him two ahead of rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the Grand Slam hunt.
Though in his mid-30s, Djokovic is producing some of the best tennis of his career and is looking even tougher to beat, especially at the majors. He won seven titles overall and finished the campaign by winning the Paris Masters and season-ending ATP Finals, and the latter for a record seventh time.
The tennis star finished the year as the top-ranked player for a record-extending eighth time and surpassed 400 total weeks as World No. 1, which no other player has managed to achieve. Assessing his season and the records he has broken, Djokovic said: “It always has been a huge objective and huge goal of mine to be No. 1 in the world.
Other than Grand Slams, that’s what counts the most. To finish off the year as No 1 in the world at this stage of my life and career is something really amazing At the beginning of the year, I really wasn’t prioritizing that, I must say. I was prioritizing more Grand Slams.
Because of the great results, particularly in Grand Slams, accumulated points, I think I put myself in a very good position to fight for year-end No. 1. This has been one of the best years. I wouldn’t say the best, but one of the best. I mean, the fact that I’ve won three out of four slams and played a final in the fourth and it’s still not the best year of my life, it’s quite nice to have that kind of situation.”
Djokovic is currently preparing for the 2024 season which he will be keen to begin by winning a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and 25th major in January. Rival Nadal will make his much-anticipated comeback in Brisbane in the first week of next month before he is scheduled to play the first major of the season at Melbourne Park.
