Chewing on the GOAT debate: What can Djokovic do to claim the title?

Not baaad, 3 GOATs: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer

The origin of the term G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) is uncertain. The debate on the greatest of all time in any field has been around for ages, this is obvious. But when the descriptive ‘Greatest of All Time’ got condensed into the acronym GOAT is a mystery. Credit could possibly go to American rapper LL Cool J, who in the year 2000, came out with an album with this acronym as its title (coincidentally, it is his only album to reach the #1 spot on the Billboard 200).

What is certain is that the term is most famously associated with the man who ‘floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee’. In 2004, the book publishers Taschen released a book with the title ‘Greatest Of All Time – A Tribute to Muhammad Ali’ and the acronym came into being in popular sporting culture.

‘It’s just a job. Grass grows, bird fly, waves pound the sand. And I beat people up.’ Ali quipped. He is not only considered the greatest pugilist of all time, he is also renowned for the values and stands he espoused outside the ring. As such, he has been named the ‘Sports Personality of the Century’ by the likes of BBC and is widely considered to be the most recognised sports figure of this era.

In recent years (the past decade), the ‘GOAT’ debate has been burning furiously in the world of tennis. And the answer is not as clear as in boxing. I’ll acknowledge at this point itself that the duration of all time makes this debate highly inconclusive. The dynamics of the sport and the yardsticks have changed very much over time.

Anyway, the debate sparked into life around the time when the chatter around Pete Sampras’ bejewelled career was simmering down. When Sampras retired in 2002 with his 14th major title, he had set the record for most majors in a career. But in just three years, his record was already under threat.

Federer, Nadal or more?

The GOAT talk in tennis started with Roger Federer canvassing two of the most dominant tennis seasons ever seen. Over the years of 2004, 2005 and 2006, Federer won 94.3% of the matches he played, compiling a record of 247 victories against 15 losses. In this period, he won 8 of the 12 grand slams held, reached the finals in 9 of them, and held on to the World No. 1 spot throughout (eventually only relinquishing the spot in 2008).

He reached the finals of 16 Masters/Finals tournaments and won 13 of them, reached the finals of 17 consecutive tournaments, won 24 consecutive finals and 26 consecutive matches against top 10 players. Outright ownership of the field.

But even as this period of Federer dominance was reaching its pinnacle, a foil had already started to emerge. In their very first match in 2004, a 17 year old Rafael Nadal defeated the then newly No. 1 Federer in Miami. Nadal, in the period from 2004 to mid-2008, played second fiddle to Federer except on clay. It was apparent from the very off that Rafael Nadal was a class apart on this surface.

He won the French Open on his debut in 2005, defeating Federer in the semi-finals and remained unbeaten in the tournament till the 4th round in 2009. In this period, he won 81 consecutive matches on clay, including each of the clay Masters tournaments.

Although he was less successful on other surfaces, he had already achieved one significant point - a clear lead in the head to head with Federer. Amongst many victories, he prevented Federer from completing the career slam at the French Open on 4 occasions (Federer won the event in 2009 after Nadal lost early).

Then, from 2008 to 2010, he broke through and won his first major not on clay at then quickly followed it with wins at the Australian Open, an Olympic gold medal and the completion of his career grand slam at the US Open in 2010.

Till the end of 2010, these two formed a duopoly in men’s tennis like never before. They held the top 2 ranks between themselves from 2005 to 2010. Their matches held the highest billing, their rivalry spawned numerous odes and their contrasting styles divided the fans across the world.

Federer broke Sampras’s record in 2009, just 7 years after Sampras had set it. With 15 major titles (which he has presently extended to 17), a career grand slam and numerous other consistency and dominance records, Federer was the one true GOAT in many books. Indeed, the day Federer broke Sampras’ record, this is exactly what the American said.

But then how could the GOAT have such a clear losing record against another of his time? When you consider that Nadal has 14 grand slam titles to his name (2nd all time, tied with Sampras), including the career slam, and has the Olympic singles gold in addition, and were it not for the fact that injuries have prevented him from competing many times in his prime, you realise why Nadal makes a serious claim to the GOAT title as well.

For many years, Federer or Nadal – that was the question.

Then the debate saw a new entrant this year due to the exploits of Novak Djokovic.

In 2011, Djokovic became the first man to break the Federer-Nadal duopoly. He won 43 consecutive matches to start the season and won 3 major titles in the year, capping it with the year-end No. 1 rank. But despite that season, he found himself pushed back for once again for 3 years by either Federer, Nadal or Murray or occasionally, even others.

But once again, in 2015, Djokovic re-established his imperiousness on the court and ran away with 3 of the 4 major titles.

Comparable to Federer’s dominance in 2005/06, Djokovic reached the finals of every tournament he played (apart from Doha), won an unprecedented 6 Masters titles, achieved near parity in his head to head with Federer and Nadal (for a while, he was equal to Federer) and went past Nadal in the weeks spent at No. 1. Sitting at 10 major titles and with still a few of his best tennis playing years left, Djokovic has now become the latest entrant into this debate.

What can Djokovic do to make his case the strongest?

A few things:

Obviously he needs to win more major titles. The time is opportune for him. Federer is 34 years old, still dangerous but not as consistent. Djokovic has subdued the past master in their last two grand-slam matches. Nadal has slumped in form and Djokovic has taken advantage of that to seize all the titles on clay, including handling Nadal only his 2nd defeat in the French Open this year.

This is the most prominent statistic in the GOAT debate and Djokovic will have to move up the ladder to make himself heard.

He needs to complete the career grand slam. He has lost the French Open finals thrice now. Twice to Nadal and this year to Stan Wawrinka. He was the overwhelming favourite this year but his campaign unravelled on the day it mattered the most. It showed exactly why this is such a coveted feat.

He needs to win Olympic gold. Just a bronze medal to show in 2 Olympic outings is poor for someone like Djokovic. Nadal has a singles gold, Federer has a singles silver and a doubles gold. The Rio Olympics will be Djokovic’s best chance to seal this deal.

Over the next two seasons, Djokovic is certain to end up with a winning head to head against Federer and Nadal. With this in consideration, if he can achieve these milestones then he would certainly go down as one of greatest tennis players of all time - G.O.A.T.