Novak Djokovic can end the GOAT debate tonight

Here’s the night that could end the GOAT debate. A previously complicated argument becomes cut, dried, done and dusted if Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd major at the French Open. He’s a bloke who’s never been in it to win friends. He’s really only wanted to become The Greatest. He’s spectacularly close to succeeding on both fronts.

Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Federer used to be the GOAT. He had the most majors. He hit the most beautiful ball. He was the most popular, the most watchable and the most successful athlete since Bradman, Pele, Jordan, Tiger, take your pick, finishing with 20 majors. Nadal overtook him, roughed him up a bit, especially on clay, won more slams and Davis Cups and did something else Federer never did. He won Olympic singles gold. To the fury of Federer supporters, so angry they nearly dropped their martinis, I had Nadal as the GOAT. The most thorough examination of a tennis player is the French Open and Nadal won it a million times. Federer? Once. Nadal has one year left before retirement, and 22 majors. If Djokovic beats Casper Ruud in the final at Roland-Garros on Sunday night (10.30pm AEST), he hits 23. Sport’s magic number.

Roger Federer was the most watchable player in tennis, particularly at Wimbledon Picture: Getty Images

Unfathomable, really. Fifteen years ago, it was truly unthinkable to think anyone could get anywhere near the heights of Nadal and Federer. They were sporting gods, another realm, only Tiger Woods and Usain Bolt stood among them. Then along came a gangly Serb who annoyed the hell out of them. Respect from Nadal and Federer has been hard-earned and a long time coming for Djokovic. He ended up getting, well, the goat of pretty much every tennis fan outside of Belgrade, because there’s been histrionics on the history march, but he had the balls to think he could take down the gods. He’s nearly done it.

“History is always hovering over me,” he says.

Rafael Nadal was a giant of the clay courts Picture: Getty Images

I have a personal preference for the other two, too, but fair’s fair. Twenty-three majors will say it all. That iconic number. Seems fitting. I’ve seen tennis journalists debate the GOAT until the sun comes up and the beer’s run dry. Members at my local club can dissect it for hours. The consensus used to be that it was impossible to split them but if Djokovic gets up again, it’s so simple. There’s no more debate. Djokovic should beat Ruud, a steady sort of dude who says, “I’ve got to be the underdog, playing without too many feelings. Just try to enjoy.”

Playing big-time sport without feelings? Sounds underwhelming. Here’s the worry for Djokovic, though, walking into his date with destiny. It’s his biggest match since the 2021 US Open final, which he botched. All he had to do that night in New York was beat Daniil Medvedev for the calendar-year grand slam. The enormity of the achievement got to him. He played poorly. Got nervous. Who could blame him? No man had done it since Rod Laver in 1969. History was hovering then, too, and it swamped him. This is similar territory. He’ll be nervous as hell once more but of course, there’s not many mind games he doesn’t win. And then? The calendar-year grand slam is back on the table.