If Novak Djokovic wants to overtake Federer & Nadal in the Slam race, he has to make a big move this year: Mats Wilander

2021 will be a crucial year for Novak Djokovic in his bid to overtake the record Grand Slam tally set by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, according to Mats Wilander.

Djokovic at 17 is currently three Majors behind Nadal and Federer in the all-time list for men's players. But the Serb is widely expected to cut short the deficit in 2021, given that he is the top contender at more than one Slam this year.

Novak Djokovic has won the Australian Open eight times in his career, an Open Era record. The 33-year-old is the odds-on favorite to claim a ninth title at Melbourne Park next month, something that former World No. 1 Wilander agrees with.

"I would be surprised if Novak Djokovic didn’t win the men's title (in Australia). It would be very, very hard to beat him," Wilander said.

But the Swede believes Djokovic would need to bring his best throughout 2021 if he hopes to catch up with his two major rivals, given that the younger players are starting to express themselves on the big stage more frequently.

"Novak Djokovic has a chance to reach 20 Slams this year," the seven-time Slam champion added. "In fact, I think if he wants to overtake Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he has to make a big move this year because the younger ones will provide more and more challenges in the coming years."

Novak Djokovic played his first unofficial match of the 2021 season on Friday, winning a set against Jannik Sinner at the 'A Day at the Drive' exhibition in Adelaide.

.@filipkrajinovic + @DjokerNole = ✅The duo from Serbia def. Sinner 6-3 6-3 at #AdelaideTennis. pic.twitter.com/3p0axzyt0T

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2021

Roger Federer can still target Wimbledon if he has no physical issues: Mats Wilander

While both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be aiming to add to their count at the upcoming Australian Open, Roger Federer has decided to sit out the year's first Major.

Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2017

Roger Federer hasn't fully recovered from his knee injury yet, and is hoping to return to the tour in late February or early March. The last time Federer was seen on the court was at the 2020 Australian Open, following which he underwent surgery on his right knee in February and another procedure in June.

But Mats Wilander believes Roger Federer is still capable of winning a 21st Major, especially at Wimbledon, where he has triumphed eight times in the past.

"In Australia and Wimbledon, he would still have a chance to win," Wilander responded when asked to assess Federer's chances of winning another Slam. "He didn’t enter Melbourne this year. But if he doesn’t have a physical issue, he can rightly hope for the trophy at Wimbledon, where he can win at any time."

"Roland Garros and the US Open are a tougher affair, but Federer has targeted Wimbledon and the Olympics this year anyway," the Swede added.