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Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero has declared Novak Djokovic "the best in history" as the 2003 French Open champion thinks the numbers point to only one as the GOAT. This year, Djokovic became the first-ever male player to get to 24 Grand Slams.
Now, Djokovic is two Grand Slams clear ahead of Rafael Nadal and has four more Slams than Roger Federer. Also this year, Federer set a new record for the most weeks spent at the world No 1 spot in tennis history. On Monday, Djokovic will also become the first player ever to have 400 weeks at the top spot.
"With Djokovic's numbers there is no debate. You may like Rafa more, you may like Federer's style more, but in terms of numbers the best in history is Novak," Ferrero told Marca.
Alcaraz's coach Ferrero on Djokovic dominating at 36
36-year-old Djokovic is having another monstrous season, having won three Grand Slams this year and reached all four Slam finals.
However, Ferrero is not surprised at all, mainly due to the fact that the Serb has always been religiously taking care of his diet and training. "I'm not surprised. He is a player who lives for tennis and to play tennis, and to achieve (great) results at the highest level.
Everything he does is to be physically perfect: from food, to rest... To be very good at something you have to excel a lot in certain things. Those who really want to become very, very good have to be there for and for. It is very difficult, today, to want to have a life parallel to training and professionalism, and to dedicate just enough to tennis.
It has to be the other way around. Djokovic, in that, is the best," Ferrero said. The only player to beat Djokovic at a Grand Slam this year was Alcaraz, who defeated the Serb in the Wimbledon final.