Djokovic is a victim of tennis' golden generation (©GettyImages). Novak Djokovic may well storm to Wimbledon success but it is unlikely that the Serbian star will ever be remembered as fondly as his fellow rivals in the sport.
Tennis fans have been treated to a period of unrivaled bliss, as the golden generation continue to float upon a cloud of immortality.
However, as is the way with professional sport, only the creamiest members of the elite crop will ultimately be ironed into the minds of future players and audience of the sport.
Djokovic, and possibly Andy Murray, are set to be the biggest losers in the 'big four' also including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Murray's saving grace is perhaps the most controversial part of his career - his 'Britishness', as his fans would say, or 'Scottishness', as his detractors might say.'
The fact that somebody from this small yet mighty island finally broke a 70+ year hoodoo and won Wimbledon, will be enough to get himself a chapter or two in tennis' most privileged book of history.
Unfortunately for Djokovic, numbers seem to do a lot of talking.
People will look at Federer's Grand Slam haul of 17 and they'll look at Nadal's, which will pass 14 and could yet surpass Federer's 17. Djokovic could hop into double figures from the six he already owns, but there'll be no challenging his rivals in the charts or the memory.
Right now, the world number two is the focus of most fans' and pundits' gaze because of his amazing rivalry with Nadal, however when the sun sets on both their careers and all is considered, most likely it'll be the Spaniard who is lauded as the winner.
We know how desperate Djokovic is to finally taste victory at Roland Garros, and this year's familiar tale of woe could prove to be a killer blow in his legacy.
If he was to oust Nadal then there would've have been no better time. The world number one was on his knees coming into the tournament and on a downward spiral we have never witnessed before, while Djokovic was striding into town Napoleon-style and convincing the people of Paris to think of him as their new leader.
That sort of confidence will be tough to rebuild.
Even if Djokovic does go on to win in France one day, it will never have the same feel.
Image is also a deceptively large part of sporting history. You have to have something to remember yourself by aside from talent. Just look at David Beckham, nobody will have him down as the greatest ever footballer, but absolutely everybody, barring an outlandish tribe in ravenous jungle, knows who David Beckham is.
In tennis you have Federer, the king of cool. Aside from the Swiss star's majestic aura, not unlike the king lion in a pride, you have the anticipation as to how shiny his Rolex will be and what sort of specifically made Nike white suit will he stroll out to matches in.
On the other side you have Nadal, the tennis equivalent to Justin Bieber. The grannies love him, and the blokes would love to be him.
Apparently Djokovic is the joker of the tour, but as he admitted already, we the the fans don't get to see that. So what else does he possess as his party trick? - Not an awful lot.
It's a shame that it has to be that way, but things aren't always fair.
No comments:
Post a Comment