Australian tennis legend Rod Laver has backed Novak Djokovic to recover and make a strong comeback following his defeat against Jannik Sinner at the 2024 Australian Open.
Laver hailed Djokovic as an incredible champion and said that it is a normal expectation from him to win every match because of his strong mental game and motivation. Djokovic was beaten decisively by 22-year-old Italian and eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semis of the Australian Open last month as the Serb’s unbeaten run since 2018 came to an end.
Entering the semifinal on the back of 33-match winning streak and 10 Australian Open titles, Djokovic endured a shock loss in the final 4. Having claimed his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne in 2008, Djokovic’s previous defeat at Melbourne dates back to 2018 when he lost to South Korean Hyeon Chung.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion enjoyed a stellar 2023 campaign where he went on to win three out of the four Grand Slams of tennis calendar while also making a runner-up finish at the All England Club.
Laver was full of praise for Djokovic’s resilient mentality and suggested the World No. 1 will have taken key lessons from his Australian Open loss.
“Novak is an incredible champion. He constantly fuels his mental strength and motivation. Precisely for this reason and for all the successes he has achieved in his career, it is expected that he can always win every match,” the Australian told Tennis World.
“In my opinion, Novak Djokovic will have learned something from this defeat [to Sinner]. He will recover and come back stronger and more motivated once again.”
The 85-year-old legend of the game went on to explain why he feels it is difficult to decide the recipient of GOAT status in tennis.
“I have always said and I repeat that it is difficult to make comparisons between the different tennis eras,” Laver said.
“Over time, too many factors have changed, from materials to athletic preparation. Today there are entire teams that work for the players. The best thing is to celebrate the feats without doing comparisons.”
The 11-time major champion, who achieved the astonish feat of winning Calendar Slam – all four majors titles in a season – twice in his illustrious career, also shed light on the challenge of the ‘Calendar Slam’.
“Tennis can always be unpredictable. There are no certainties. Winning all four Grand Slams in the same year in singles is one of the rarest honours. It means having to win 28 matches in the toughest matches that everyone wants to try to win,” he added.
“You have to hope to be well, stay in shape and above all you have to be able to beat all the strongest tennis players in the world more than once.”