Miami – After two decades of professional tennis, 99 professional single titles and 24 wins in the four major championships, Novak Djokovic became a puzzle – for tennis fans and himself. Both parties try to answer the same question, from the match to the match and the championship to the tournament, where his career moves towards an unknown end.
Who is the greatest player in the modern era at this moment?
Is it the player who faded two weeks ago against Bootic Van De Zandschulp, in his opening match at BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif. Or is he the player who broke through his first three opponents in Miami Open in the past five days, including Lorenzo Moutei, the 16th world of Italy?
Is he the player whose return to service, one of the greatest players in the history of sport, is a usual shadow? Or is he the player who broke Moutei five times on Tuesday night on his way to win 6-2, 6-2?
Is he the player who is surrounding his schedule as he approaches his thirty -eighth birthday, because it is another that revolves around the tennis ball? Or is he the player who described him to mobilize Miami when he told them, “You will see me another years.”
When it comes to the topic of Novak Djokovic, Djokovic is similar to anyone else: Always search for a sign of noise, search for data about himself and his forgetfulness that will allow him to separate what does not matter. At this moment, there is a lot of data and not enough to know what Djokovic is in 2025. After all these years, but only 14 games in this season, the international ambiguity man of sports – has not represented what it was before, looking for an answer to what it will be.
“I hope and I hope to see it tonight, then at the same time, I worked hard to not get Novak, who was playing in Indian Wales,” Djokovic said in the mixed area with the correspondents when his match with Moses ended. “The continuation or consistency of the tennis level at the present time for me is more challenging than it was years ago or 10 years ago, five years ago, and I know that.
“This is definitely not because of the lack of hours you spend in the practice court and in the gym because I am still inspecting. It exists, but it makes it more difficult for me to maintain the level.”
Djokovic lives with a common false belief about what is happening for elite athletes who decrease their peaks. The summit remains sharp and accessible in passing moments, even when you are in desperate need: Djokovic found in his work in his other world to the gold medal in the Olympic Games in Paris last year. It is the stability that erodes, and the repetition necessary to maintain excellence.
The largest victory in Djokovic came this year at the Australian Open, where he beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter -finals after a series of victories that included serious declines in his level, as youth and and and experienced experience found ways to harm him but they were unable to finish him.
Amazing as it was, Al -Nasr was also one of the strangest tennis matches in memory. Djokovic suffered from muscle tears in the first group, but he somehow managed to win four, thanks to a cocktail of pain relievers, adrenaline and the collapse of non -interpretative alcas. The Spanish surrendered to Djokovic’s playing, thinking about his opponent’s tennis and his physical condition more than he was thinking.
Three days later, Djokovic had to retire from the semi -finals against Alexander Zvevv at the end of the first group due to muscle injury. When he arrived in Florida, he has not won a match since he beat Al -Karaz on January night in Melbourne.
In Miami, he beat Rinky Hijikata, a 24 -year -old Australian and played 13 games in the Grand Slam, slightly more than half the number of Slam Grand titles won by Djokovic. Then he beat Camello Augo Carpily, the 25 -year -old Argentine and did not win the Grand Championship match.
Both games were opened with a group of explosion and ended with Djokovic’s victory over a draw. It is one of the most familiar styles in Djokovic matches over the years, only inverted: the narrow collection to relieve everything before the acceleration is switched to victory for a quick start and then the end of emanating.
Djokovic diluted through his opening matches in the Miami Open. (Jeff Burke / Imagn)
Then Moutei came. On paper, it looked like a legitimate threat. On the field, Djokovic picked up his head and seen Serena Williams sitting in the stands. He looked at his box and saw Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro, the retired four champion champion. One coach. The other is his dear friend. All these big names made him of small stars and tension from playing well, especially in front of Williams, the greatest player in all ages.
The elegant mustti game is suitable for all the pitch grass, clay, and slow solid playgrounds, but it is still reasonably lost on that fast. Against the best player on the field in the history of sport, he was cut off from work in the first match and rose to an illusion of 2-0 to make the match material. Djokovic decided that he would not play such a match and won the nine -nine matches to seize control. Moutei showed a lot of resistance, such as swinging door.
On Wednesday night, Djokovic Sebastian Corda, the young and talented American who includes a thousand Renaissances, will always face the threshold of announcing himself. Corda, 24, is still trying to find his way after a wrist injury; He received a treatment on his wrist while winning a 16 -round of Gayl Mondels on Tuesday.
Djokovic won the only previous meeting, in Adelaide, Australia, two years ago. He may get more data about their competition and itself on Wednesday, but it is not clear how appropriate Korda is to give him what he needs. Djokovic has no doubts about his desires: to continue playing at the highest level in an era, so that the youngest players approach the game with a level of professionalism that no one heard when he started.
He said in Miami: “Fitness, recovery and a comprehensive approach to work improved both the physical and mental side.”
“Nowadays, each of the best 30 years in the world has a full team of three and four people around them who take care of them, their body and everything, so that it is reflected in the court. For this reason the occupations have now been extended.”
He said that when he started his career, the players started calculating their days when they reached 30. Now it is more like 35, and perhaps more.
“Of course I am in that group. I will not get younger, but I still feel satisfied with my body and tennis.”
This may be the data point that is of interest to more than all others.
(Alawite Image: Al Bello / Getty Images)