Boris Becker demands more recognition for Novak Djokovic
After the memorable Wimbledon finale, Boris Becker demands more recognition for the achievements of his former protégé Novak Djokovic .
by SID
last edit: Jul 17, 2019, 10:28 am
Even if the tennis fans initially saw the Serbs as spoilers of the Federer-Nadal rivalry, they should now be aware of the size of the 16-time major champion, Becker told the BBC.
Djokovic (31) had fought two match balls in an epic five-set thriller over five hours against crowd favorite Roger Federer on Sunday and won the fifth title at Wimbledon. The spectators had loudly supported the Swiss during the game. "I hope it will be a little more balanced if they meet again next year," said Becker.
Djokovic had a strategy of his own on the Center Court to deal with the mood. "When they shout 'Ro-ger, Ro-ger', I hear 'No-vak, No-vak'", he had said after the victory : "It sounds strange, but it is so. I see for myself that it is so. "
Becker: "Novak wants to be the greatest"
According to Becker, the mental strength and the unquenchable ambition of the world number one could ensure that Djokovic leaves his opponents Federer and Rafael Nadal behind in the record books. "Novak is not yet happy. He is one of the greatest in history, but he wants to be the greatest," said Becker, who led Djokovic to six Grand Slam titles from 2014 to 2016.
Becker believes that Djokovic (16 titles) can overtake Nadal (18) and Federer (20) in the Grand Slam statistics, but the race is open. "This endless talk of who will be the most successful will continue as long as all three will play," said Becker. The three-time Wimbledon winner sees the trio as the favorite in the four largest tournaments: "I think all three will win further Grand Slam titles."