“It’s great to be part of it, but…” Novak Djokovic dives into the ‘GOAT debate’ after Miami opening round win

Novak Djokovic has won 24 of the 66 Grand Slams shared between him and the other two Big 3 members (Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer).

“It’s great to be part of it, but…” Novak Djokovic dives into the ‘GOAT debate’ after Miami opening round win

Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Giovanni Pelazzo)

Novak Djokovic discussed the never-ending GOAT debate in an interview with Tennis Channel on Friday. When asked about it, the Serb remained diplomatic, crediting former legends and his rivals for his career development.

However, Djokovic denied making any comparisons between past and present players. He is currently the only active ‘Big 3’ member following the retirements of Roger Federer in 2022 and Rafael Nadal last year.

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This whole GOAT debate…for me, it’s great to be part of it and in the mix, but it’s really hard to compare. There’s just some incredible champions that have created the platform that we have today. Tennis of today is not just because of the last 10-15 years. It’s because of the last 100+ years, so we have to recognize the influence that all the champions had.

Novak Djokovic said in an interview to Tennis.com

Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic created the most dominant era in tennis history, winning 66 Grand Slams and spending almost 1,000 weeks combined as World No. 1. Between 2003 and 2021, only Andy Murray managed to finish a season as World No. 1 outside of the ‘Big 3.’

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Comparisons between the trio have always existed, but many believe Djokovic has settled the GOAT debate. His Olympic gold medal win at the Paris Olympics last year was considered a key factor in ending this discussion.

Novak Djokovic looks back into the ‘Big 4’ era

24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has reflected on his consistency during the peak years of the ‘Big 4.’ The Serb believes he rarely missed important events over the last 15–20 years despite the intense competition.

Novak Djokovic (2)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Jose Moron)

I think in the last 15-20 years, I don’t think I’ve missed too many Slams or Masters events. Because the competition in that regard, when it comes to ranking and points, it became really solid and really strong. I remember mostly my rivalries with Nadal, Federer, and Murray, but I’ve been through different generations in the last 20-25 years.

Novak Djokovic said in the interview to Tennis.com

Between 2011 and 2021, Djokovic missed only one Grand Slam event, the 2017 US Open. That year, he struggled with injuries and had to withdraw from his Wimbledon quarterfinal against Tomas Berdych before abruptly ending his season.

Djokovic leads the record books in almost every category against the other ‘Big 4’ members. He holds the most Grand Slam titles (24) and the most Masters 1000 titles (40) in history.

Additionally, Djokovic is the only player to win all Masters 1000 events. He achieved this milestone by defeating Roger Federer in the 2018 Cincinnati final.

Novak Djokovic ends losing run in Miami

Serbian tennis legend further matched Rafael Nadal’s record for the most ATP Masters 1000 match wins. He achieved this on Friday (March 21) at the Miami Open. This victory ended his three-match losing streak. He had lost in the Australian Open semifinals and exited early in Doha and Indian Wells.

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Novak Djokovic (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

After a mini-crisis of not playing my best in Doha and Indian Wells, I really wanted to start off well at this year’s Miami Open. I had two weeks since that first-round loss to Van de Zandschulp, and I really worked hard. I put in a lot of hours with Andy on the court, came in early. If I’m feeling and playing the way I did today, it’s pleasure and I find joy on the court, regardless of where I am.

Novak Djokovic said

The Serbian star played a strong match against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata. He won with a score of 6-0, 7-6(1). This win brings his total Masters 1000 match wins to 410, the same as Nadal. Djokovic already holds records for the most titles, finals, and semifinals at this level.

Djokovic has won 99 tour-level titles in his career. He is aiming for his seventh Miami Open title, which would put him ahead of Andre Agassi. In the third round, he will play Camilo Ugo Carabelli. Ugo Carabelli defeated American Alex Michelsen in three sets to set up the clash with Nole.

Djokovic looked much better than in his recent matches. In Indian Wells Maters, he made 37 unforced errors in his first-round loss. Against Hijikata, he made only three errors in the first 27 minutes. His performance showed a big improvement.