LONDON — Is this the Djokovic Era?
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic does not yet occupy center stage when it comes to career accomplishments, which any Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal acolyte would quickly point out.
(Photo: Tim Ireland, AP)
But it is becoming harder to argue that he is not its leading man.
By the usual yardsticks of success — year-end No. 1 finishes, Grand Slam trophies, overall titles and winning percentage — he has no peer of late.
During the four years starting with his magical 2011 season, Djokovic is tops in all those categories — three year-end No. 1s (2011-12, 2014); six majors; 29 titles; and an 88.8% winning clip (279-35) after Saturday’s World Tour Finals semifinals.
When you look at the statistics over the last four years he has been the most dominant player, said former top-five pro Tim Henman of Britain, who is commentating for BBC TV. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon.
Two-time defending champion Djokovic, 27, can bolster his standing if he wins the ATP Tour’s finale on Sunday following a 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 defeat of No. 5 Kei Nishikori of Japan in Saturday’s semifinals.
Djokovic extended his indoor hardcourt winning streak to 31 and is seeking to become first player since Ivan Lendl (1985-87) to win three consecutive ATP Finals.
The Serb plays No. 2 Roger Federer, owner of a record six titles at the ATP Finals.
It’s been a long year, said a weary-sounding Djokovic after defeating U.S. Open runner-up Nishikori for the second time this month. But knowing just that tomorrow is the last match of the season, I’m sure that I will find any necessary drop of strength, mental and physical, to give it on the court.
That Djokovic, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, has been able to carve out his place in history at a time when Federer and Nadal — with 17 and 14 major titles, respectively — forged careers considered among the best of all time is testament to his perseverance.
John McEnroe, speaking Friday following the announcement of a newly formed ATP Legends Advisory Board, likened Djokovic’s rise to his own struggle to overtake Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors.
It reminded me a little bit of myself trying to break through to Connors and Borg, McEnroe said. That was my Nadal-Federer. To get that respect and get in that mix was something I took a lot of pride in. I think clearly he’s done that.
Asked if this was Djokovic’s era, McEnroe marveled that such a notion could be raised considering No. 2 Federer and No. 3 Nadal remain so relevant.
He’s done an incredible job of becoming the person that you could even ask that question when Roger is still around playing as well as he is and Rafa playing that well, said McEnroe, a seven-time major winner like Djokovic. That shows you that to me he is becoming one of the true greats of all time, and, he joked, another guy that’s passing me.
A year in which Djokovic had plenty of off-court distractions — the addition of Boris Becker to the delicately balanced entourage, his marriage to longtime fiancée Jelena Ristic in July and the birth of his first child last month — he stayed the course.
But the margins were thin.
Though his 2014 tally so far includes six titles, a semifinal showing at the U.S. Open and a runner-up finish to Nadal at Roland Garros, Djokovic’s No. 1 hinged on a single result — his Wimbledon victory.
Had Federer won the 6-4 fifth set of their All-England Club final, the 33-year-old Swiss could very well have been vying for the No. 1 ranking, even if Djokovic had beaten Nadal in the French Open final.
We can always observe it from different angles, said Djokovic on Friday when it was suggested his top ranking hung on a thread. But I think I had a great season and great year overall for my private life and professional, as well. Considering all the things that have happened and circumstances, I thought I have done very well.
No argument there.
By going undefeated in round-robin play and clinching the No. 1 ranking Friday, Djokovic became one of seven players to finish atop the rankings more than three times along with Pete Sampras (6), Jimmy Connors (5), Federer (5), Lendl (4), McEnroe (4) and Nadal (3).
McEnroe considers Federer, Nadal, Sampras and his idol Rod Laver the best foursome of all time. Djokovic, he said, is slightly outside that group.
I wouldn’t put Novak there yet, he said. I’d put him in the top 10. … Maybe he’s moving higher as each minute goes by. But he’s not at that level overall career-wise yet. But a lot of the reason he’s only got seven (major titles) is because of those other two guys.
Certainly, he looks primed to add more in 2015.
When he’s playing well, I don’t think anybody can stop him, said Nishikori.
Follow Douglas Robson on Twitter @dougrobson.