Federer figures Nadal, Djokovic will pass him
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES >> Roger Federer, for one, figures questions about whether Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic — or both? — will surpass his men’s record for most Grand Slam singles titles are moot.
That’s because he’s sure it’s going to happen. And he’s OK with that. Ending up in third place, Federer insists, would be just fine.
“I think the way it’s going, obviously, Rafa and Novak will win more,” Federer said matter-of-factly during a recent interview with The Associated Press in the city he uses as his preseason training base, “because they’re that good. And the season they had (in 2019), again, shows that there is more to come for them.”
He didn’t say this with a wistful sigh or a disappointed glance at the floor or a trace of regret. That’s just the way he sees things at the moment. Entering the Australian Open, scheduled to begin Monday in Melbourne, Federer leads the list with 20 majors, followed by Nadal with 19, then Djokovic with 16.
So as soon as the end of this tournament, Nadal could pull even with Federer for the first time. Whether or not it truly matters who comes out on top when all is said and done, everyone is going to be paying attention to how it shakes out.
Including Federer, who surpassed Pete Sampras’ old standard of 14 a decade ago.
Don’t mistake an honest outlook for disinterest.
“I guess you do care, to some extent, just because it’s normal,” Federer said, then mentioned how much it meant to him that Sampras was sitting in the Centre Court stands for No. 15.
“I looked up to him so much that I felt, also, uncomfortable maybe, sometimes, breaking his records. It’s not something I ever wanted to do. It just happened to be like this. But of course I knew it was a big, bigtime moment in our sport. And I think those are the moments you will remember,” Federer said. “Now, at the end, if somebody else would pass you, I mean, I guess it’s OK, because that’s what sports is all about. It’s a lot about numbers. It’s a lot about records. But I had my moment and I always said everything that comes after 15 was, anyway, a bonus . ... ”
Nadal, currently No. 1 in the ATP rankings, and Djokovic, who is No. 2 ahead of Federer, each took home two major trophies last season.
“I always say the same: I would love to be the one who wins more,” Nadal said, “but I am not thinking (about it) and I’m not going to practice every day ... for it.”
After his seventh championship in Australia a year ago, Djokovic said: “I do want to definitely focus myself on continuing to improve my game and maintaining the overall well-being that I have — mental, physical, emotional — so I would be able to compete at such a high level for the years to come, and have a shot at eventually getting closer to Roger’s record.”