MATS BACKS DJOKOVIC’S WIL POWER

WIMBLEDON champion Novak Djokovic is back in the race to become the greatest player of all time, according to Mats Wilander.

But the Swede reckons next month’s US Open will decide who is the champion of 2018.

The first three Grand Slams this year have been shared by Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Djokovic – all ranked in the top four in the history of the sport.

The Serb was stuck on 12 Major titles for two troubled years until claiming his fourth Wimbledon crown (above). He still trails Nadal by four and Federer by seven, but at 31 is younger than them.

And seven-time Grand Slam winner Wilander said: “The hunt’s back on. It’s for that reason the return of Djokovic to the top is very exciting.

“The chase was launched two years ago when Federer was no longer winning much, when Nadal was winning – especially at Roland Garros – and Novak was winning almost all the rest to disrupt the established order. And it’s starting again. These three are again going to try to go even higher.

“It is crazy how everything moves fast in the world of tennis.

“At the US Open, we will have the three best players in the world who will each start with a Grand Slam – the Australian Open for Federer, Roland-Garros for Nadal, Wimbledon for Djokovic.

“And at New York we’re going to know who’s the best in the world in 2018. In play is the title of the ITF world champion.

“It will not be the ATP rankings which count because, for them, the feeling of being the best of the year prevails over the world No.1 ranking.”