Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase spoke about the Serb’s last victory in France with which he won triumphs in major tournaments and returned to number 1 in the ATP rankings.
Last weekend, Novak Djokovic managed to win big. Not only did he beat Casper Ruud in the final to win the Roland Garros title, but he moreover he became the most victorious Grand Slam with 23 victories and again became number one in the world ranking .
However, this feat doesn’t mean much to the Romanian tennis player. Ilie Nastase who assured that there is no real battle in this regard between the Balkan and the Spaniard Rafael Nadal .
“I don’t think Nadal is jealous or anything like that. Many others should be jealous of him for winning Roland Garros 14 times, these 14 Roland Garros weigh much more than the 23 Grand Slam tournaments of Djokovic “, he launched in dialogue with Gazeta Sporturilor.
Nastase, with six big names under his belt (two singles, three men’s doubles and two mixed), later added that “I don’t think it’s a fight, at least I don’t think it’s a fight personal relationship between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. This is what happened Novak won another Grand Slam, but it could have been the other way around. Nadal could have put 23, the two would still be stuck there. Is it so important that now (Djokovic) has one more title? “, he raised.
“Maybe Djokovic cares, but I don’t think Nadal is jealous or anything like that. . Many others should be jealous of him for winning Roland Garros 14 times, those 14 Roland Garros are way bigger than Djokovic’s 23 Grand Slams. Win on clay 14 times? On the clay courts of Roland Garros? I don’t think another player will be born who can repeat this work “, he added later.
At the same time, he said ‘we can’t forget Nadal or Federer because they retired’. “I can compare because I’ve seen them all, even played with a lot of them, but I don’t think they compare all the time. It’s more a matter of media and sponsors, those who keep this Grand Slam fight. Djokovic, despite his 23 Grand Slams, will be forgotten like everyone else.”
Finally, he highlighted its validity and the possibility that he could extend his record by achieving new Grand Slams in the rest of his career. “I don’t know how many Grand Slams Djokovic will win, nobody knows, I don’t think he knows either. Let’s also see how long he continues to play, because now he is 36 years old . Around 38 or 39, you start to lose a bit of energy, even if Federer lasted a little longer. Now it all depends on how long Novak continues to play, if he only plays Grand Slam tournaments, he will have the opportunity to tire less,” he concluded.
“An incredible feeling”
After winning the title in France, Novak Djokovic celebrated on the pitch. “It’s a very special moment in my career. It is no coincidence that he won number 23 here in Paris; this tournament is the hardest to win for me. I’m really happy to be here “, he underlined after the final.
In this sense, the man born in Belgrade could not hide his joy. “A Grand Slam is a Grand Slam. For me it’s already a dream to have won all four tournaments at least once, so I was very lucky to get 23 titles. It’s an amazing feeling “, he added.
Track to El Deportivo
Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
