HISTORY WRITING his own

Novak Djokovic has won more Grand Slam singles titles than any other male player in history. He is also the longest-reigning world No.1 in the sport.

Twenty years into his professional playing career, the Serbian superstar is showing no signs of slowing down either.

At Wimbledon, he became just the third player in history to record 350 Grand Slam singles wins. Only Roger Federer (369) and Serena Williams (365) have won more.

But when it comes to winning percentage at Grand Slam level, Djokovic (on 88 per cent) has both of their measures.

So, has the 36-year-old’s growing list of phenomenal records nally answered the ageold question of exactly who is the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time)?

“When you talk about history, people mostly talk about the Grand Slams won or the amount of time you spent at No.1 in the rankings,” Djokovic said.

“I have managed to break the records in both of these statistics, which is amazing.”

Many believe Djokovic’s unmatched achievements are in fact debate-ending. Yet he refuses to subscribe to that notion.

“I don't want to say that I am the greatest, because I feel it's disrespectful towards all the great champions in di erent eras of our sport, that was played in a completely di erent way than it is played today,” Djokovic said.

“I feel like each great champion of his own generation has le a huge mark, a legacy, and paved the way for us to be able to play this sport on such a great stage worldwide.

“So, I leave those kinds of discussions of who is the greatest to someone else.”

NOVAK’S LEGACY

An insatiable appetite to defy the odds has long fuelled Djokovic’s dreams.

From growing up in a wartorn country with little tennis tradition, to overcoming some of the sport’s greatest champions. Djokovic has proven anything is possible.

His fearlessness to dream big, he explains, was a quality his parents encouraged from a young age.

“My family was on a very low budget. But my parents still decided to support me in my dream, which was to become a professional tennis player and hopefully win Wimbledon and be No.1 in the world,” Djokovic related.

“You know, 95-plus per cent of people would be laughing at them, were laughing at them, and were discouraging them to spend whatever is le over from the family budget into such an expensive sport.

“Coming from a country that had almost no tennis tradition, it was extremely challenging and the chances of me succeeding were very slim.”

Djokovic describes his mother, Dijana, as “a rock”.

“She’s an incredible woman that kept our family together in the toughest moments,” Djokovic said.

He labels his father, Srdjan, as the “driving force of the family”.

“He has instilled in me such power of belief and positive thinking into achieving goals, that it’s beyond anybody that I have ever met,” Djokovic said.

“No one played tennis in my family, so he had to ask people who were experts, who were knowledgeable in the field to know whether I have potential and whether he should invest money or not.”

Djokovic also credits his late mentor and

LEGEND GROWS:

At age 36, Novak Djokovic remains determined to build on an unparalleled tennis legacy.

childhood coach Jelena Gencic for “shaping my mind as a human being, but also as a professional”.

“I was only seven, eight years old, and she had me watching these tapes of all the best players, both male and female at that time. I had to know exactly why a certain shot is hit at a certain time on a certain surface, etcetera, from a very young age,” Djokovic said.

“So, she was treating me very maturely, and she thought that it's never too early to start with this kind of mindset and development.”

State Of Mind

Djokovic’s mental toughness has arguably been his greatest asset across a record-breaking career.

He is the only man in the Open era to twice save match points in a Grand Slam singles titlewinning run. His fortitude has also helped him ght through injury setbacks, like at this year’s Australian Open when he managed to win the tournament with a torn hamstring.

“He just locks in and makes you have to play either ridiculously well to win the points, or he steps up with a winner himself. He knows how and when to step up. He's smart,” Casper Ruud bemoaned a er losing to Djokovic in this year’s Roland Garros nal.

“It's annoying for me, but it's very, very impressive.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has lost to Djokovic in both of his Grand Slam nal appearances, agrees.

“Novak is a player that pushes you to your limits,” he said. “This is very good for the sport, to have competitors like him, to have champions like him.

“He has made me a much better player. He has made my