Renowned tennis journalist Steve Flink reckons Novak Djokovic might not be able to win as many Australian Open titles as Rafael Nadal’s French Open titles. Djokovic won his 10th Australian Open title after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final in straight sets on Sunday at the Rod Laver Arena. In fact, Djokovic was playing with a hamstring injury in the Happy Slam but he was still able to go all the way.
The Serb also equaled Rafael Nadal’s tally of most Majors – 22. On the other hand, Nadal has won 14 Ronald Garros titles in his glorious career and he is well known as the King of Clay.
The Spaniard lost in the second round of the Australian Open against America’s Mackenzie McDonald after suffering a hip injury.
While speaking on the Court-Side with Beilinson Tennis podcast, Flink said, “I don’t think so and I am an ardent admirer of Djokovic’s. I can see him getting a couple more. I don’t see four more at this stage of his career, no, that would be astounding. Yet, it wouldn’t shock me to see a couple more. So, I don’t see the other four happening.”
The American added Nadal’s chances in the upcoming French Open will depend on his fitness.
“Then, we have the other question, can Rafa get No. 15 at Roland Garros? Well that’s gonna depend so much on his health because Djokovic was dealing with a very aggravating and worrisome injury, but when you talk about a hamstring, it’s not the same thing Rafa’s had,” Flink said.
Meanwhile, Nadal has bounced back strongly from multiple injuries in his long career but Flink has doubts whether the veteran can do the same at 36.
“So many complicated injuries and the abdominal thing this past year and the foot, and the knees don’t act up anymore. There seems to always be something new cropping up and he’s so injury prone and so gutsy at coming back from these injuries. But I wonder if this time he’ll be able to, because you think about last year with Nadal, how he left Rome, beaten by (Denis) Shapovalov,” Flink said.
“It looked like he could barely walk on the court, he had to get injections before every match at Roland Garros and commendably, he came through to take that title. But is he gonna be able to do something similar to that again? Can he replicate something as remarkable as that? We don’t know. Let’s hope he is healthy for the clay court season,” he added.
