As the gushing, bewildered messages of congratulations movement in following Novak Djokovic’s historic French Open triumph, there may be one message that hasn’t come.
Djokovic re-wrote the file books once more on Monday morning when he captured a twenty third Grand Slam title with a 3rd French Open triumph, reinforcing his case to be topped the best participant of all time.
The 36-year-old Serb disregarded an early wobble to defeat Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6 (7/1) 6-3 7-5 and snap the tie of twenty-two Slams he shared with career-long rival Rafael Nadal.
Nadal was fast to acknowledge the second.
Federer was not.
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“Many congrats on this amazing achievement Novak,” Nadal tweeted. “23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it! Enjoy it with your family and team!”
It has solely been a matter of hours since Djokovic was topped king of the Roland Garros clay, however Federer’s silence has been famous amongst tennis followers.
It stays very probably in fact that Federer merely hasn’t had time to make a grand gesture of congratulations on social media. The 41-year-old is much from a daily social media consumer.
However, the eight-time Wimbledon champion has beforehand been fast to congratulate fellow “Big Three” member Nadal.
Federer’s identify was trending around the globe on Twitter on Monday morning with the talk about males’s tennis’ GOAT raging once more.
There had been some sections that discovered it inconceivable to overlook Federer’s absence from the dialog.
American tennis commentator Ricky Dimon used a “crickets” emoji when noting Federer’s lacking public congratulatory message.
Veteran tennis journalist Mike Dickson additionally wrote Nadal’s social media message to Djokovic was “prompt and classy” — highlighting the variations between the Spaniard and Swiss legend’s public shows.
The hypothesis could also be fully unfair and unwarranted to Federer, who has confirmed time and time once more to be a sleek champion who has set the sportsmanship bar impossibly excessive for the technology that’s following him.
However, that hasn’t stopped a knee-jerk response from Djokovic followers questioning the place Federer is correct now.
It’s not the primary time there have been strategies Federer has tended to favour Nadal over Djokovic.
Most famously, Federer posted a message of heat congratulations when Nadal tied his file of 20 slam titles after profitable the 2020 French Open remaining towards Djokovic.
His message to Nadal was undeniably stylish, but it surely was observed that Djokovic was not talked about as soon as.
Federer stated within the flattering message it was an “honour” to share the file with Nadal.
Catherine Whitaker stated on The Tennis Podcast on the time that Federer’s message made Djokovic the “third wheel” once more.
David Law additionally stated on the podcast on the time: “Federer didn’t mention him in the note, which I must admit I did look down and I thought, ‘Oh, no, can’t see that’. Maybe that’s just an oversight.”
While that’s one facet of the conspiracy idea, there may be additionally the truth that Federer did congratulate Djokovic after his triumph on the 2023 Australian Open.
“Incredible effort, again,” Federer wrote on his Instagram tales.
“Many congratulations.”
While Federer wasn’t amongst these to ship an instantaneous message, there have been loads of tennis legends that did.
Aussie icon Rod Laver posted on Twitter: “Congratulations on winning 23 majors @DjokerNole and cementing your legacy in another commanding performance at Roland Garros.
“Your skill and unwavering mental fortitude on all surfaces is astonishing. Kudos to Casper Ruud, who valiantly pushed this great champion all the way.”
American nice Andy Roddick wrote: “Tough to make any numbers based argument against
@DjokerNole being the best! If you’re making an argument against, it’s likely based on feelings and not record. Congrats on 23! Crazy to even think that’s possible.”
American TV commentator Patrick McEnroe wrote merely: “Incredible. Legend”.
Iga Swiatek, at some point after her title run previous on her congratulations.
Djokovic had to reply to the prickly query about being the GOAT with 23-slams in his submit match press convention, however was fast to pay respect to these round him.
“Thank you. I don’t wanna say that I am the greatest because I feel it’s a disrespect for all the champions from different eras of our sport,” he stated.
“Those that played in totally different way that is played today. Each great champ has left a legacy”.
When requested concerning the Big Three rivalry, he stated: “I spent countless hours of thinking how to win against Federer and Nadal. Those 2 guys were occupying my mind in the last 20 years quite a lot.
“It’s amazing to know that I’m ahead of both of them in Grand Slams. But everyone writes their own history.”
Victory for the third time in Paris, after 2016 and 2021, provides to Djokovic’s 10 Australian Open titles, seven at Wimbledon and three on the US Open.
Djokovic is the primary man to win all 4 majors not less than 3 times and is as soon as once more midway to the primary calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.
Only Margaret Court and Serena Williams in ladies’s tennis have managed to rack up 23 Grand Slam titles. Court’s all-time mark of 24 will now be in his sights at Wimbledon subsequent month.
Everyone however Swedish nice Mats Wilander believes the talk over tennis’ biggest participant is now over.
“Despite whatever anyone may still say, Novak Djokovic is now undoubtedly the greatest player of all time,” British tennis nice Tim Henman stated on Eurosport.
“Any statistical way you cut it, there has never been a tennis-playing dude better at playing tennis than this dude,” tweeted tennis scribe Ben Rothenberg.
“If there was a GOAT debate … it’s over,” added fellow tennis journalist Jose Morgado.
Even The Big Three, a Twitter account devoted to Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer, declared: “As it stands now, Djokovic is the greatest men’s player of all time.”
It was solely Wilander who believed some doubt remained.
“Does Novak winning 23 means he’s the GOAT? I suppose so. On the other hand, Nadal has won the Olympics,” Wilander stated.
“I would like to see Novak get to 24, 25 or 26, so there would be no discussion. To say that anyone is greater than Roger Federer is kind of tough.”
There is little signal of Djokovic slowing down – and his victory prompted present participant Tennys Sandgren to foretell he’s “got five more in him to be honest”.
He is now the oldest French Open champion however 11 of his Slam trophies have been gained after he turned 30.
Today he’ll reclaim the world quantity rating and begin his 388th week in prime spot.
The sense of the event actually attracted sports activities A-listers. NFL legend Tom Brady watched from the Djokovic field, soccer stars Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sat side-by-side within the VIP space which additionally accommodated former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, a daily this weekend.
Djokovic was taking part in in his seventh French Open remaining and boasted a 4-0 profession file over Ruud, not having misplaced a single set.
However, the fourth-ranked Norwegian was the extra composed of the 2 at the beginning, sprinting out of the blocks for a 2-0 lead when Djokovic shanked an overhead.
Ruud, the 2022 runner-up to Nadal, stretched to 3-0 and 4-1 earlier than Djokovic retrieved the break within the seventh sport when his opponent buried a simple smash into the web with an open courtroom begging.
It got here on the finish of a lung-busting 28-shot rally.
Djokovic missed a break level within the ninth sport, tumbling to the purple clay as he chased down a Ruud drive.
However, like all nice champions, he discovered a approach to regular himself and take management of the match.
Djokovic broke for love at 6-5 within the third set and sealed his place in historical past when Ruud went broad after three hours and 13 minutes.
The champion saluted his field the place coach Goran Ivanisevic and spouse Jelena sat. “I know I can be a nightmare,” stated Djokovic. “I want to thank you first of all for patience and tolerance and that stands out. I was really torturing you so I appreciate you being my rock, and my support and really believing in me.”
A file haul
Australian Open (10) — 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023
French Open (3) — 2016, 2021, 2023
Wimbledon (7) — 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
US Open (3) — 2011, 2015, 2018
– with AFP
Source: www.news.com.au
