Italian former tennis legend Paolo Bertolucci talked about the new record obtained by Novak Djokovic, focusing on some aspects of his life as a teenager, during an interview for the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Bertolucci explained: “Numbers never lie. We could sit here and discuss the name of the greatest tennis player of all time for a long time but, beyond personal support, no one will be able to discuss the most successful player in history.
The games aren’t over yet, but you don’t need a great expert to indicate Novak Djokovic as the player who at the end of his career will have the best-stocked palmarès ever. To understand how this is possible, we need to start from the origins.
Nole did not have a serene adolescence and perhaps it was the war that forged him and made him stronger. He is capable of waiting for the right moment to emerge, launching the attack to break down the duopoly formed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
To achieve top-level results, you need natural qualities combined with discipline and strict rules. We sensed that he was strong, potentially very strong, right away, but the turning point came in 2011 when gluten intolerance forced him to adopt a new diet, making him even more competitive.”
Novak Djokovic’s record
Novak Djokovic has set an incredible new record by confirming himself at the top of the ATP rankings for the 378th week.
The Serbian champion definitively surpassed Steffi Graf, who stopped at 377 weeks during her fantastic career. The goal of the Belgrader is to extend his reign by continuing to collect important successes in the major circuit.
Djokovic won his 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open by losing just one set in the entire tournament. He said: “It’s something impressive, surreal, I never imagined achieving such a record. As a child I dreamed of winning Wimbledon and being number 1.
When I realized those dreams I wanted more and I still have big goals. My dedication is immense. I am very proud to be among the best in all of history and to be able to compare my name to legends like Steffi.”
