Normally it's like this: An athlete is either a hunter because he has bigger plans in his career and is trying to outdo the top dogs, or he is the hunted because he has to defend himself against many strong competitors who are contesting his prominent position.

Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, is in a class of his own in this respect too: not only on the hard courts of Melbourne, where he won his tenth title at the Australian Open on Sunday, but also in terms of mentality.

Thomas Klemm

sports editor.

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Because he regained the top position in the tennis world rankings with his record triumph, which surprisingly moved him to tears, he must now feel like the hunted again.

But Djokovic sees himself primarily as a hunter.

As someone who wants to break all tennis records.

Or, as he put it on Monday: "I want to make more history in this sport."

The insatiable Serb has a clear idea of ​​how this should work.

In four weeks he could replace Steffi Graf as the longest-lived industry leader with her 377 weeks at the top of the women's world rankings.

In the spring, he wants to win his 23rd Grand Slam tournament victory on the Parisian clay courts, the territory of his great competitor Rafael Nadal, leaving the Spaniard (22 titles) behind.

With another big title, possibly in Wimbledon, he would then overtake Serena Williams (23) and catch up with Margaret Court (24), who was still the only leader.

He could also win his first Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.

"I'm privileged to be in this position," said Djokovic, for whom there is nothing to get in the United States as long as there are entry restrictions for those who have not been vaccinated against Corona.

Many people already see the answer to the question about the “GOAT”, the

Greatest of All Time

.

Novak Djokovic is "the greatest person who has ever had a tennis racket in his hand," said his defeated opponent in the final, Stefanos Tsitsipas.

And Nick Kyrgios tweeted: "He'll get to 28 - very easy." According to the latest impressions, it doesn't seem impossible that there will even be one or two more for the 35-year-old.