Pat Cash: 'Novak Djokovic is monster. He is better than Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal'

At the end of the current season, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are tied on 20 Majors, three more than Novak Djokovic. The Serb wasted his chances to close the gap at the US Open and Roland Garros, something he is keen to fix in the upcoming years. The 2020 season saw three Major tournaments and three different champions. The GOAT race between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic remains the tennis world's main topic, with three titles separating the great rivals ahead of more battles in 2021. The former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash believes that Novak Djokovic will win more Majors than Federer and Nadal and finish his career as the greatest player of all time. Praising the Serb, the Aussie said he could beat his greatest rivals on their best surfaces, putting him ahead of Roger and Rafa. Djokovic was the favorite to melt the deficit to Federer and Nadal after lifting the 17th Major trophy at the Australian Open, experiencing a default at the US Open and losing the Roland Garros title match against Nadal.

Since 2011, Novak has been the dominant figure in men's tennis, securing six year-end no. 1 honors and winning the most Majors, Masters 1000 and the ATP Finals crowns. The Belgrade native has secured 16 Major shields since the Australian Open 2011, moving closer to his main rivals and ensuring his place among the greatest players of all time. The Serb was off to a perfect start in 2020, winning 18 matches at the ATP Cup, the Australian Open and Dubai before the coronavirus outbreak. In Melbourne, Djokovic came from two sets to one down against Dominic Thiem, claiming the eighth trophy down under and gathering momentum ahead of the remaining Majors of the season.

Pat Cash believes that Novak Djokovic will pass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Novak had spent the next six months in Belgrade and Marbella, working hard on his game and continuing where he left after the season's restart. The Serb won the 35th Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati, heading to the US Open as the clear favorite for the 18th Major crown. Instead of chasing the trophy, Novak got defaulted for the first time in a career after a careless mistake against Pablo Carreno Busta, returning to Europe and securing the record-breaking 36th Masters 1000 trophy in Rome. Seeking the second Roland Garros crown, Djokovic lost the title match to Rafael Nadal in straight sets, taking only two games in sets one and two and propelling Rafa towards the 20th Major. 

"If I have to choose whom I like to watch the most, I say, Roger Federer, then Rafael Nadal. But if I have to select the best player, it's Novak Djokovic; I have no doubts about that. He's a monster, capable of beating the greatest rivals on their best surfaces. Many people say Federer is the best player ever, but he's the second of his time. It's hard to be the best in history if you're not in your era," Pat Cash said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Jpr6Bh