Former World No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov praised Novak Djokovic as the greatest tennis player in history following his victory at the Olympics but expressed his belief that Djokovic does not hold the title of the greatest athlete.
Kafelnikov, a two-time Grand Slam champion, won the 1996 French Open and the 1999 Australian Open. He also had success in doubles, winning four Grand Slam titles in that discipline.
At the peak of his career, Kafelnikov defeated Tommy Haas in five sets to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He played his final match in 2003 and officially retired from professional tennis in 2010.
In total, Kafelnikov won 26 career titles and achieved over 500 match wins at all levels. He also earned more than $20 million in prize money, ranking among the top 30 highest earners in ATP history. In 2019, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Despite his retirement, the 50-year-old remains a devoted fan of the sport and recently witnessed Novak Djokovic, the current World No. 2, become the oldest Olympic tennis champion at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Last Sunday, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz, one of the current rising stars in men’s tennis, with a score of 7-6, 7-6 at Roland Garros to win his and Serbia’s first tennis gold medal on his fifth attempt. This victory solidified his place in tennis history as the fifth player to achieve the Golden Slam.
Following Djokovic’s 99th and most significant triumph in Paris, which ended his longest title drought since 2005, Kafelnikov has no doubt that Djokovic is the greatest tennis player of all time. However, he believes that basketball legend Michael Jordan surpasses Djokovic as the greatest athlete. Nevertheless, Kafelnikov still ranks Djokovic in the top three on the list.
“There’s no doubt that Novak is the greatest tennis player of all time, that’s for sure. You can’t compare him to Michael Jordan…I don’t think so, because I grew up idolizing the greatest athlete of all time, which was Michael Jordan.”
“All I wanted to do was watch him play live. To me, he’s still number one, but Novak is definitely one of the top three greatest athletes of all time, without a doubt – considering all the achievements, records, and titles he has won.”
Djokovic did not drop a set on his way to winning the Olympic title, and he himself believes that he has completed his tennis puzzle, having won every significant trophy in tennis.
Kafelnikov, who spoke to Tennis Majors, is uncertain about the future of Djokovic’s career. He suggests that the 24-time Grand Slam winner may struggle to maintain his motivation.
“Novak remained driven because he had his sights set on winning the gold medal. However, it will be challenging for him to find the same level of motivation now. He doesn’t need to prove his superiority over Federer and Nadal to anyone, that’s certain. What comes next? I have no clue.”
“If he chooses to continue playing solely for the love of the game, that’s perfectly acceptable, and no one will criticize him for it. After all, he has achieved everything already. I can’t imagine how he can find the inspiration to surpass his current accomplishments. That’s my perspective.”
Photo from Djokovic Instagram
