Patrick McEnroe heaps praise on Novak Djokovic after record breaking Grand Slam haul: "There's no better adjuster"
ATPWednesday, 14 June 2023 at 22:30
Patrick
McEnroe praised Novak Djokovic after he achieved the record of 23 Grand Slam
titles at the 2023 French Open.
Djokovic's
championship at Roland Garros gave him his 23rd Grand Slam title, making him
the man with the most Slams in history, surpassing Rafael Nadal with 22 and
Roger Federer with 20.
Only two
female tennis players can claim to have a comparable record to the current
world No. 1, as Serena Williams also won 23 titles like 'Nole,' and Margaret
Court holds the absolute record with 24. John McEnroe's brother, Patrick,
highlighted Djokovic's ability to adapt to different moments within a match.
“Novak has
that ability, which is part of the reason why he's the greatest ever.
Understanding when he needs to be aggressive, when he needs to be neutral, when
to be defensive, when to go to the slice, when to come in, when to take chances
on the second serve. There's no better adjuster to what's going on, ever!” he
said.
“Part of it
is because he's so malleable with his strokes. I've talked to sports people who
love watching Roger [Federer], we all did. Nadal’s got this intensity.
How can Djokovic be so good? Because they can't see it,” McEnroe opined in Holding
Court podcast.
“They don't
really get tennis. They don't get the fundamental, the technique, his ability
to calibrate shots with the exact same swings to hit the ball at 55% or 95% and
everything in between. That’s his greatness and his ability to manage over the
course of a match,” he added.
McEnroe
recalled Novak Djokovic's loss to Daniil Medvedev in the final of the 2021 US
Open and mentioned how difficult it is to defeat Djokovic in a best-of-five
sets match:
“Not only
fitness-wise is he arguably even better than these guys [other tennis players],
but because he has so many different ways to play over the course of a long
match, it starts to favor him even more and more. Unless he hits the wall
physically, which is it in my view is kind of the only way to beat him in best
of five,
“Medvedev,
when he beat him at the [US] Open, Novak hit the wall emotionally, physically
in that match. And then Novak of course gets him back shortly thereafter,” McEnroe
stated.
“Unless
you're Roger, you just beat him because you're Roger. Or you're Rafa, you grind
them down because you can do that, he can do that on clay and to a certain
extent he can be there on a hardcourt,” he concluded.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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