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Novak Djokovic stands a good chance of surpassing Roger Federer's tally of 20 Grand Slam singles titles, according to recently retired doubles player Daniel Nestor. The Canadian was speaking in an extensive interview with WION Sports, and gave his views on a number of topics - including the ATP-WTA merger proposed by Roger Federer.
Nestor, winner of 91 doubles titles, also said that among the Big 3 of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, it is the Serb who is the fittest and therefore the one with the highest ceiling.
Novak Djokovic's record against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is remarkable: Nestor
Daniel Nestor believes that in addition to going past Roger Federer's Slam tally, Novak Djokovic will also likely overtake the Swiss' record of most weeks at number 1 (310). Djokovic, who currently has 17 Grand Slams and has spent 282 weeks at No. 1, recently said he is confident of breaking both those records - and Nestor doesn't doubt his claims.
"It is incredible what Novak Djokovic has accomplished over the last decade. His record against Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is also remarkable. Novak Djokovic is also the youngest and fittest of the big three, which will work to his advantage. Nadal used to be incredibly fit, but his knees have given him some problems recently. So you can't really doubt Novak Djokovic's claims here."
Nestor added in this regard that if Rafael Nadal manages to stay healthy, he would pick up a few more Roland Garros titles.
The Canadian also said that the cancellation of this year's Wimbledon is a significant setback to Roger Federer's hopes of adding to his record Grand Slam tally. The Swiss player will be nearing 40 when the next edition of Wimbledon comes around.
"A lot also depends on Nadal's health, if he is able to keep fit then he could be able to win a couple of more French Open titles. The Wimbledon cancellation was a huge setback for Roger Federer; he is coming close to the age of 40 and there will come a time when he will need to make a decision on his career," said Nestor.
Continuing on the same topic, Nestor opined that owing to the COVID-19 lockdown, it would be difficult for Novak Djokovic to immediately regain his early season form once tennis action resumes. Novak Djokovic started the 2020 season with titles at the Australian Open (including a win over Roger Federer) and Dubai, and went 18-0 before the COVID-19 outbreak forced the tour's suspension.
"I think it will take time for Novak Djokovic to find the same level of form that he was showing earlier in the year, so it will be a challenge for him once the tour resumes."
Speaking about the effect of the lockdown on older players like Serena Williams and Roger Federer, Nestor said that he was unsure how the prolonged break would affect the duo.
"I'm not really sure how it is going to affect their respective careers, but it is definitely going to be a major challenge for them once things get up and running."
Nestor opined that if the tour resumes after the COVID-19 break, the US Open could be one of the first tournaments on the calendar. But the Canadian added that that could come too soon, especially for the older players.
"I think both of them (Roger Federer and Serena Williams) will find it tough at the US Open if it is the first tournament after the hiatus. Players, especially the older ones, need a few tournaments under their belt before the Majors."
What did Nestor say about Roger Federer's proposed ATP-WTA merger?
The reaction from ATP and WTA players to Roger Federer's suggestion about merging the two governing bodies of tennis has largely been positive. The likes of Johanna Konta and other women's players have backed Roger Federer's proposal, but when Daniel Nestor was asked about his views on the topic, he sounded coy.
He said that while some tournaments would stand to benefit, venues exclusive to either tour would likely go off the calendar. Nestor also opined that the merger could potentially create difficulties for players slogging it out on the Challenger Tour.
"I think there is talk of a merger between the WTA and the ATP tours, which will be great for the cities that will host the events, but that means that a lot of venues on the tour will lose out on tournaments. It is also going to be very difficult for the players on the Challenger Tour because those events will lose funding in terms of sponsorship and revenue."
Daniel Nestor also advocated for perspective in this time of crisis, as there are people who are facing much greater hardships than professional players during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. According the Nestor, tennis will get back to normal with time; right now, it is more important to pay heed to the concerns of the less privileged.
"It is undoubtedly going to be a very challenging time for tennis, but it is going to be the same for everyone else in the world...I think there are people who are suffering more in the world than professional athletes right now."
"I understand that players are desperate to get back out there, but they will still have the opportunity to compete at some point and the best will rise to the top, as they always have. I think the need of the hour is patience and perseverance," concluded the Canadian.
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