“I want the same thing I’ve wanted since I was 7 years old,” professional tennis player Novak Djokovic said in an interview with New York Times in 2007. “I want to be No. 1.”
Since becoming a professional in 2003, Djokovic has made his mark in the tennis world. Throughout his career, Djokovic won a total of 24 grand slam titles and ranked No. 1 in the world for 391 weeks by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Twenty years later, he still remains one of the most dominant tennis players of all time and continues to influence other players in the sport.
Keigo Kamata – I started playing tennis at the age of four and watching professional tennis at six. Since then, I have always looked up to the Big Three: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. I think Djokovic is a great player and it’s insane that he has been at the top of the world for so long. A lot of people say he may be a little rude, but I think he’s also really funny and definitely an entertainer.
Kylie Liao – When it comes to his legacy, Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and I really look up to his skills. Sometimes my coaches would reference his game during practice and we would all learn from the way he plays.
David Erwin – The level of concentration and athleticism Djokovic has is absolutely incredible, but he is also a controversial player with his protest against wearing a mask at the Australian Open. I think that when you rise to the level where there are a lot of people looking up to you, you should be mindful that your behavior will be emulated by your fans. Regardless of his controversies, I do believe he lives up to the legacy of the big names and will go down in history as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
