© Getty Photographs Sport – Laurence Griffiths
Coach Patrick Mouratoglou disagrees with declare {that a} 36-year-old Roger Federer was pretty much as good as Novak Djokovic is as we speak. In 2017 – the 12 months by which Federer turned 36 – the Swiss gained the Australian Open and Wimbledon. For Federer, it had been his first Grand Slam titles since 2012.
In 2018 February, Federer additionally returned to No 1 for the primary time in 5 years – on the time he grew to become the oldest world No 1. Djokovic, who turned 36 in Could, made all 4 Grand Slam finals this 12 months and gained three Slams. Additionally, Djokovic completed the 12 months ranked because the top-ranked participant on the earth.
Similar to Federer did, Djokovic can be having fun with nice success in his mid-thirties. However Mouratoglou thinks there’s a sure distinction in these two instances.
Mouratoglou on 2017 Federer versus 2023 Djokovic
“I typically hear that what Roger did between 2017 and 2019 is pretty much as good as what Novak is doing now, and that Roger was a greater participant in 2017, 2018, than earlier than.
However I feel there’s a main distinction. I feel that Roger was a greater in a means in 2018 than he was 10 years earlier than. Really, for one most important cause. His backhand. He took a significant choice and began to take the ball a lot earlier on the backhand aspect and to return flat moderately than return slice systematically.
However Roger was not capable of win three out of 4 Grand Slams and be constant all 12 months lengthy and be actually one step above all the opposite gamers. This did not occur. Novak, I really feel the distinction is Novak he is bodily pretty much as good as we speak as he was when he was 26.
And that is an enormous distinction. As a result of when you find yourself that stage bodily, you will be constant all 12 months lengthy and beat all the most effective gamers on the earth on a constant foundation. That is an enormous distinction,” Mouratoglou stated in a video uploaded on his Instagram.
