"I have never seen anyone like Novak Djokovic, time to really appreciate this man" - Chris Evert

Former WTA World No. 1 Chris Evert has praised Novak Djokovic for his remarkable achievements in the sport.

Djokovic won his third French Open title on Sunday, June 11, and with it his 23rd Grand Slam — an Open Era record that he jointly holds with Serena Williams. He also became the oldest champion in Roland Garros history and regained the ATP World No. 1 ranking.

Evert, an 18-time Major winner, took to social media to praise Djokovic for his mental, physical, and emotional strengths.

"Over the past 50 years, I’ve seen and studied every champion in tennis. I have never seen anyone like Novak Djokovic. The combination of mental, physical, and emotional strength that goes into every shot is unmatched. Time to really appreciate this man," she tweeted.

In his Paris Major campaign this year, Djokovic played six tie-breaks across various rounds, including the final against Casper Ruud. The Serbian came through all of them unscathed, and with zero unforced errors.

Reacting to this, Evert labeled this achievement by the 36-year-old "stunning".

"This…… is stunning….could consistency be the next big weapon in tennis?" she said.

---

Novak Djokovic eyes another shot at Calendar Slam

Novak Djokovic at the 2023 French Open.

In men's tennis, the Calendar Slam — winning all four Majors in a year — has been an elusive one in the Open Era. The only man to achieve this feat was Rod Laver in 1969.

Novak Djokovic came agonizingly close to doing it in 2021. He won the Australian Open (def. Daniil Medvedev), French Open (def. Stefanos Tsitsipas), and the Wimbledon Championships (def. Matteo Berrettini).

At the US Open, Djokovic fought past the likes of Holger Rune, Kei Nishikori, Matteo Berrettini, and Alexander Zverev to reach the final, where Medvedev awaited him. One win away from achieving one of the most difficult feats in tennis, the Serbian stumbled when it mattered as Medvedev took the match in straight sets to clinch his maiden Major.

With the Australian Open and French Open titles under his belt this year, Djokovic heads to Wimbledon next, where he is a four-time defending champion. Speaking after his Roland Garros triumph, he expressed his desire to have another go at accomplishing the Calendar Slam.

“I’d like to get another chance in New York," he told Tennis Channel. "Of course, I have to win Wimbledon, which is a whole different mountain to climb. I missed the history couple [of] years ago in the last match, with [Daniil] Medvedev. But I felt the love from New Yorkers, from all the people who were there.

"I was actually blown away with emotions of what they've brought to me on that day, on the court. So I can't wait to go back and play in New York."