Paris (AFP)

Novak Djokovic spent Sunday the most difficult obstacle of his season: by winning Roland Garros, he is now able to achieve the Grand Slam and become the indisputable GOAT (best player of all time).

At least statistically.

Because Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will probably always keep an advantage in the hearts of the fans.

As proof, Djokovic himself was keen to underline it as with a certain astonishment: during his semifinal anthology against Nadal, he was supported as much as the Spaniard by the public.

"The atmosphere was electric and the audience gave us both a lot of encouragement!" Repeated the Serbian who is usually the unloved champion, in search of the popularity of his two big rivals.

Since the end of last season, Djokovic has equaled the record of Pete Sampras of completed years in place of world No.1 (6).

And since March, he has become the player who has spent the most weeks in this position (he will start his 324th on Monday).

He then announced that this goal having been achieved, he would now devote himself entirely to the record of 20 Grand Slam titles held jointly by his two great rivals.

He has won 19 since his debut in 2008 (Australia).

Over the same period, Nadal won 17 and Federer 8.

- "Half" -

Sacred for the 9th time in February at the Australian Open, his favorite Major in terms of result (Federer has 8 coronations at Wimbledon, Nadal 13 at Roland Garros), the world No.1 won his 2nd Roland- Garros, after that of 2016.

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"Novak has shown what a great champion he is and I hope that one day I will have achieved half of what he did," commented Stefanos Tsitsipas who led two sets to zero on Sunday in the final in Paris before bow down.

Winner of the last Wimbledon (in 2019) by beating Federer in the final after an epic match at the end of which he saved two match points before winning, Djokovic has already won 5 and has all the qualities to win more. Ditto at the US Open where he was crowned 3 times and where the last two editions, of which he was favorite, escaped him on withdrawal in 2019 and disqualification in 2020.

So theoretically, Djokovic is on the right track to set a new record for major titles this year, he could have 21 on the night of the US Open, one better than Federer and Nadal.

And above all, he could become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to succeed in the legendary Grand Slam, or win the four Majors in the same year.

His might even be a Golden Slam if he wins gold at the Olympics, which no player has done.

In view of these figures, for the former world No. 1 Mats Wilander, consultant for Eurosport, there is no doubt, "we must start talking about GOAT".

- "The best of three" -

"I had never seen a more beautiful tennis match on clay," commented the Swede, three-time winner of Roland Garros, after the half Djokovic-Nadal.

"It was clay tennis taken to a much higher level than mine because it was so fast, and Novak put so much rhythm into his shots. The moves, the touchdown at the net, the athleticism, it was all. incredible, ”he added.

Already, Djokovic was the only player of the Open era (since 1968) to have held the four major titles straddling two years (2015-2016).

He is now the only one of the Open era to have won at least twice each of these tournaments (Federer has only one Roland Garros and Nadal has only one Australian Open).

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Another statistic pleads in his favor: to date, he has a positive win-loss record against Federer (27 wins for 23 losses) and Nadal (30 for 28).

"Djokovic, he's the best of the three. I've always said it. If the three are at the top of their game, he's the one who wins. History told us that. For me, it's the stronger, "said in L'Equipe Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach of Tsitsipas.

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