Serbia’s legendary tennis star Novak Djokovic believes that
Denmark’s Holger Rune lacks a bit of ‘consistency’ compared to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner. The 37-year-old is often
regarded as the greatest player in the history of men’s tennis in the Open era,
having won as many as 24 Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic is currently competing at Wimbledon 2024, where he has already
booked his place in the fourth round after beating Australia's Alexei Popyrin in the round
of 32 in a four-set contest with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6. With that win, the former world number
one has now set up an intriguing fourth-round clash against Denmark’s Rune.
The world number 15 cemented his spot in the last 16 after
beating France’s Quentin Halys in a five-set thrilling contest with a score of
1-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-1. While talking to the media ahead of the contest on Monday, Djokovic praised Rune and said he was ‘ready for big things’.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner also highlighted what is keeping Rune separate from
the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner but believes that he has all the qualities and
work ethics to reach the very top in the near future.
“He’s always had a very good work ethic,” said Djokovic. “He’s
been a very dedicated guy. Once he sees something is off, he’s going to go off
on the practice court and work on it. That’s what I always loved about him. He’s
probably lacking a bit more consistency with his results comparing to Alcaraz
and Sinner, which are his generation. But he looks to me like a player who’s
ready for big things.”
The contest on Monday will be the sixth meeting between the
two players. In the previous five meetings, Djokovic has a slight advantage as
he emerged victorious on three occasions and suffered two defeats in the process.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.