Novak Djokovic is arguably the greatest tennis player of all time. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly set new records, and even continually broken his own records.
In 2023 he has reached heights that even he has perhaps never done so before. He has finally taken a huge step ahead in his long-term rivalry with Rafael Nadal. The Serbian could also potentially match a career-best grand slam tally over a single year.
Three grand slams for a fourth time?
On three occasions in the past, Djokovic has managed to claim three out of the four annual grand slam events over a single year. This year he has the chance to repeat the feat on a remarkable fourth occasion. He is the standout favorite in the US Open men’s single tournament.
Djokovic has the opportunity to win another grand slam while Nadal sits out due to his long-term injury setback. In the US Open 2023 odds, Djokovic is offered at -150 to secure another US Open triumph. The tennis predictions suggest that Daniil Medvedev could be one of the most likely candidates to potentially take the prize at his expense.
Big respect for a great night of tennis 🤝 pic.twitter.com/na0RVvmeI7
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 2, 2023
Winning the US Open would provide the Serbian with not one, but two quartet records. Victory in the final would simultaneously make him a four-time US Open champion and a four-time grand slam treble winner.
To put Djokovic’s potential achievement into perspective. His fiercest rival Nadal, has only won a treble of grand slams on a single occasion back in 2010. However, the great Roger Federer similarly holds three historic trebles to match the Serbian’s record.
Djokovic could yet again reach unprecedented heights depending on how the 2023 US Open plays out. He continually sets new and improved records which are unparalleled in the modern era.
Djokovic became the all-time grand slam leader
In 2021, Djokovic secured three grand slam titles, as he only missed out on the US Open. This allowed him to draw level with Nadal with 20 titles each.
The Spaniard then won the Australian Open in 2022 with Djokovic unable to compete, before capturing the French Open title at Roland Garros. The Serbian did fire back with a fourth straight Wimbledon win which left him trailing narrowly 22-21 going into 2023.
This year Djokovic has finally surpassed Nadal as the all-time grand slam leader. He holds the most titles with a tally of 23 after he won the Australian Open and the French Open in a perfect first half of the year. The Serbian star could of course even win at the US Open, which would award him with a lead of two grand slams when Nadal returns from injury in 2024.
🏆🙏🏼2️⃣3️⃣❤️🇫🇷 #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/KOxvOq3d18
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) June 11, 2023
2024 could well be Nadal’s final year in the sport due to his injury issues. He announced during his injury layoff that he would likely retire at the culmination of next year’s tour. This means that Djokovic will likely remain the grand slam record-holder for the foreseeable future.
No active player is anywhere near to challenging Djokovic’s tally of victories on the biggest stages. Several years in the past, many doubted he could ever top Federer and Nadal’s grand slam totals. But now the Serbian himself appears untouchable.
In 2023, Djokovic cemented his position as the greatest tennis player of all time. He has continued to set brand-new records and could even make further progress on that front before the year is out.