Google News 'Novak Djokovic is probably the favorite everywhere else', says former ace
by SIMONE BRUGNOLI | VIEW 2540
In the history of tennis we have often seen great rivalries and clashes between the best tennis players in history. Among them there were those who said it openly and those who instead spoke through provocations while especially on the upper floors of the circuit we rarely saw beautiful and great friendships.
The relationship between Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev could be placed in the latter category with the two being very close friends. Nole and Sascha have challenged each other on various occasions, in some cases as the Serbian won at the US Open and in others as at the Olympics and as here in Turin it was the German who triumphed.
Beyond Medvedev's victory at the US Open we can say that Djokovic's two biggest defeats in this 2021 came from the current number 3 in the world, a tennis player who seems ever closer to the top two of the circuit. This season Sascha has won the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Masters 1000 in Madrid and Cincinnati and now the Atp Finals at the end of the year here in Turin, a year to be framed which only missed the Slam tournament.
The world of tennis has changed and this thanks to the use of social networks, an increasingly frequent practice among professionals. The number one in the world Novak Djokovic has released a beautiful message through his social accounts for the winner of the tournament and his friend Alexander Zverev.
Courier talks about Novak Djokovic
Jim Courier recently gave his views on the Slam race among the Big 3, opining that both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic would likely add to their tallies next year. Heading into 2022, Courier sees Nadal as the Roland Garros favorite and Djokovic as the man to beat at the other three Grand Slam events.
"For Rafa, how is he going to respond?" Courier continued. "How is his foot going to respond after sitting out a lot of this season trying to fix that after it went out on him at Roland Garros? He's still the favorite at Roland Garros - slightly, slightly, slightly over Novak in my opinion - assuming they're both healthy." Jim Courier also expressed his belief that Novak Djokovic is the favorite to win the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles in 2022.
"Novak is probably the favorite everywhere else," Courier added. "Certainly at Wimbledon, but on the hardcourts I think it's narrowed dramatically here with the way this season ended - the way that Zverev has stepped up and Medvedev has stepped up.
So I can easily see Rafa and Novak adding one each, maybe two if Novak goes to Australia. But these young guys are hungry and they've narrowed the gap on them."