"After all Novak has gone through, would have broken many athletes": Paul McNamee lauds Novak Djokovic for being World No.1 at 37
ATPSaturday, 04 May 2024 at 09:07
Former Doubles No.1, Paul McNamee has lauded Novak Djokovic as he continues to break down barriers and lead the sport at the age of 37. The World No.1 has shown no signs of slowing down towards retirement.
Djokovic won all but one Grand Slam last year losing at Wimbledon to Carlos Alcaraz and finished with an utterly remarkable season. He is likely to lose his top spot in the coming weeks with Jannik Sinner in particular looming. But with his limited schedule that was always going to be the place.
His supposed demise has also dominated a lot of column inches, but he has simply not played a lot this season to gauge. He will play Rome Open and Roland Garros in the coming weeks. But the fact that he is still on top in the belief of McNamee after what he has been through speaks volumes.
McNamee referenced to his 2022 Australian Open ordeal and his deportation from the country which also acted as a tonic for him to return the following year and prove people wrong. "After all Novak Djokovic has been through, including in my country, which would have broken many athletes, let’s give credit where credit is due… being #1 turning 37 years of age is a remarkable achievement," said McNamee.
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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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