By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
"In the next year, a year and a half, he will be the best in all statistical parameters," Srdjan Djokovic said of his son Novak Djokovic.
Photo credit: Davis Cup Facebook
Prescience powered Novak Djokovic to his record-extending ninth Australian Open crown.
The world No. 1 reads the Rod Laver Arena court as if its blueprint is embedded in his brain.
Goran: Novak Needed AO Title Badly
There's a reason the 33-year-old Serbian is closing in on his quest to attain tennis' major mark: Djokovic is on a mission from God, says his dad.
And the 18-time Grand Slam champion will break the Grand Slam record shared by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the next year and a half, his father, Srdjan Djokovic told Kurir.rs.
"In the next year, a year and a half, he will be the best in all statistical parameters," Srdjan Djokovic said. "And when he retires very quickly, whatever he does, whatever he does, he will be just as successful as he is in tennis. He is Serbian gold that is yet to be honed."
In a wide-ranging interview with Kurir.rs, the elder Djokovic said God sent his son to show the world the integrity of the Serbian people.
"He was sent by God, people, at the worst time for the Serbian people and Serbia, because he showed that we are a normal people, that we are not murderers and savages," Srdjan Djokovic said. "I can't even say what I know, when they all came from and where all of Serbia was and is coming out, because my God, you have to keep quiet so as not to provoke the anger of some experts there who, by rewriting history, give themselves the right to behave the way they behave towards Serbia."
Djokovic and Nadal have combined to collect 10 of the last 11 Grand Slam titles.
Wimbledon champion Djokovic will surpass rival Federer and claim ownership of the record for most weeks as world No. 1 when he spends his 311th week as No. 1 on Monday, March 8th— surpassing Federer’s record of 310 weeks.
In an interview with Sportsklub last June, the elder Djokovic ridiculed Federer for still playing at age 39 and suggested the Swiss Maestro is motivated by ego to hold off Djokovic in the Grand Slam race.
"Why is this happening with Federer, who is still the most successful and best tennis player in the world?" Srdjan Djokovic told Sportsklub. "That is a fact according to the results, which will not be for a long time. Because he cultivates so much animosity towards Novak.
"They have developed a kind of respect over the years, but why do you think he still plays at 40? Imagine that, a 40-year-old man still plays tennis, when he can go home and do some more interesting things."
Pointing to his son's phenomenal success a the AO, which bills itself as the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific, and in China, which reveres the Serbian superstar, Srdjan Djokovic said he believes the media criticism his son has received is primarily due to conflict of West vs. East with Western media unwilling to recognize the Eastern European as GOAT.
"All normal people in the world love him. Have you ever wondered why he plays best in China?" Srdjan Djokovic told Kurir.rs. "He feels love there, real love, they really love him there. He said 'Dad, Bata Zivojinovic and I are the most famous people in China.'
"They love him there without hesitation, what he has not experienced in the West, nor will he experience. They think that only they exist, but they are only one fifth of the world. China, India, Russia, Brazil, Africa, he is a deity everywhere."
The senior Djokovic suggests Western animosity toward his son spiked after Novak Djokovic declined overtures to pursue British citizenship and join Andy Murray in creating a tennis superpower.
"They wanted to unite Novak and Murray, but in the conversation with our children, absolutely no one was in favor of us leaving Serbia and changing our citizenship," Srdjan Djokovic said. "We are Serbs, Orthodox, we believe in our God, Saint Vasilije Ostroški and everything he represents."
Srdjan Djokovic asserts the Western world must accept the fact his son will break the Grand Slam record within the next two years and recognize him as the rightful GOAT given his head-to-head winning records over rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
"In the West no attention was paid to Novak. That was the only way to stop him, but they couldn't," Srdjan Djokovic said. "The West has extended the agony, which has lasted for 10 years, it is better to surrender and admit that Novak is the best...
"It was the only way to stop him, but you have to understand, there is no chance to stop him. But they only prolonged their agony. The agony has been going on for 10 years and they have extended it for another year, instead of surrendering nicely and realizing, Novak is the best in the world and let's go. Just carry what you are. Novak is incomparable."