Australian Open 2021 - Novak Djokovic will overtake Roger Federer's Grand Slam haul, says Ivanisevic

ByEurosport

Updated 21/02/2021 at 17:09 GMT

Novak Djokovic will finish his career with more Grand Slams than Roger Federer and battle it out with Rafa Nadal for the record after the Serb won a record-extending ninth Australian Open title on Sunday, his coach Goran Ivanisevic said. The 33-year-old was a straight sets winner over Daniil Medvedev

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Goran Ivanisevic has tipped his charge Novak Djokovic to overtake Roger Federer’s Grand Slam haul of 20 majors.

Djokovic moved onto 18 major titles with a routine three-set win over Daniil Medvedev in the final of the Australian Open on Sunday.

The win was an indicator that Djokovic is not ready to surrender a seat at the top table to the young talents that are breaking through, and Ivanisevic suggested it reinforced his belief that the Serb will make his way past the Swiss great.

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"I said a couple of years ago Rafa [Nadal] and Novak are going to overtake Roger, both of them. I still believe that," Ivanisevic, who is a member of Djokovic’s coaching team, said.

While Nadal fell in the quarter finals to Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ivanisevic feels the Spanish great will add to his 20 majors at the French Open - having won at Roland Garros on 13 occasions.

"They surprise me every day," Ivanisevic said of Djovovic and Nadal.

"Rafa for sure is going to win one, I hope not two, but I give him one. They're producing better and better tennis... When you think the young guns are coming, these guys are one step better in the finals.”

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Margaret Court holds the all-time record with 24, one ahead of Serena Williams on 23, and Ivanisevic feels those numbers are within reach.

"I don't know where the end is,” he said. "Maybe they're going to overtake Margaret Court and Serena Williams (23 majors), maybe not.

But it's amazing what they're doing on court, how they perform in big matches."

Federer, 39, has not bagged a major since winning in Melbourne in 2018 and the Swiss has not played in over a year after requiring surgery on his right knee twice in 2020.

"I'm waiting for Roger to come back," Ivanisevic added. "It's going to be more interesting to see what's going to happen at the French Open and Wimbledon."

Ivanisevic said Djokovic's triumph in Melbourne was also his redemption after the media coverage of his quarantine requests prior to the tournament as well as his injury.

"He needed this victory so badly. There's somebody upstairs who sees all this unfairness with a lot of media and (what) people (are) doing to him," Ivanisevic said.

"He's going through a lot, especially after last year - U.S. Open (where he was disqualified after accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball), then pretty poor final at Roland Garros, it's not easy."

With additional reporting from Reuters