Having sealed his place as one of the greatest players of all time, Novak Djokovic was on Monday backed to keep breaking Grand Slam records with little seemingly standing in his way.
The 29-year-old captured his first French Open on Sunday to become only the eighth man to complete a career Grand Slam.
More impressively, he is just the third man to hold all four majors at the same time and the first since Rod Laver back in 1969.
That is something even his eternal rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have failed to do achieve.
"He will be the big favourite again at Wimbledon and at the tournament after that and all of those after that one," predicted three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten who was on hand Sunday to witness Djokovic end a three-final losing streak at Roland Garros finals with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win over Andy Murray.
That was Djokovic's 12th Grand Slam title to add to his six at the Australian Open, three at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.
He also became the first man since Jim Courier in 1992 to clinch the Australian and French Opens back-to-back and therefore put himself in a position to grab a calendar Grand Slam which has only been achieved three times -- by Don Budge in 1938 and Laver in 1962 and 1969.
"Well, I don't want to sound arrogant, but I really think everything is achievable in life," said the Serb.
"I'm trying to grasp and I'm trying to cherish, obviously, these moments right now. Whether or not I can reach a calendar slam, that's still a possibility."
He is right to be confident as he tightens his grip on the men's game.
His victory over fellow 29-year-old Murray was his 24th in 34 meetings with the British world number two and eighth in 10 clashes at the Slams.
He leads Federer 23-22 and is 26-23 against Nadal.
- Declining powers -
Federer still holds the record for Grand Slam titles at 17 while Nadal is second on the all-time list at 14.
But Federer will be 35 in August and has not added to his Slam total since winning Wimbledon in 2012.
Nadal's last major was at Roland Garros in 2014 while Murray remains firmly stuck on two, the last of which came at Wimbledon in 2013.
Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams -- his only losses coming to Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals of the 2014 US Open and his 2015 French Open final heartbreaker to Stan Wawrinka.
The winning mentality is also hot-wired into his DNA. He has now won 29 successive matches at the Slams bettering even his run of 27 which ended in 2011.
As well as time, Djokovic has physical fitness and endurance on his side.
By contrast, Federer's streak of 65 successive Grand Slams, stretching back to 1999, ended when a back injury ruled him out of the French Open while Nadal, plagued by injuries throughout his career, withdrew from Roland Garros after two rounds with a serious wrist injury.
Despite their declining powers, Djokovic insists he owes Federer and Nadal a great debt for pushing him closer to a historic calendar sweep which could also become a 'Golden Slam' should he win the Olympics in August.
"These two guys -- and Andy, as well -- the rivalries with all three of the guys have definitely helped me to become a better player and helped me achieve all these things," said Djokovic.
"Nadal and Federer were so dominant in the sport when Andy and myself came in in the mix. But, again, at the beginning I was not glad to be part of their era.
"Later on I realized that in life everything happens for a reason. You're put in this position with a purpose, a purpose to learn and to grow and to evolve.
"Fortunately for me I realized that I need to get stronger and that I need to accept the fact that I'm competing with these two tremendous champions."
AFP
Tue Jun 07 2016
Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after winning the men's final match against Britain's Andy Murray at the Roland Garros 2016 French Tennis Open in Paris on June 5, 2016. - AFP Photo
SPR India tuntut maklum balas aduan terhadap Modi, Rahul Gandhi
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya India hari ini memaklumkan pihaknya sudah meminta maklum balas daripada parti pemerintah Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dan parti pembangkang, Kongres.
Penguin maharaja berdepan kepupusan akibat pencairan ais
Spesies penguin terbesar di dunia, penguin maharaja terus berdepan ancaman apabila habitatnya terjejas akibat perubahan iklim. Selain pernah disifatkan bakal pupus menjelang tahun 2050, saintis dari Pusat Penyelidikan British Antarctic Survey pada Khamis memberitahu perubahan iklim memberi kesan terhadap kecairan ais di wilayah beku Antartika yang menjadi habitat buat koloni penguin maharaja.
ANCC2024: Astro, NACSA bekerjasama anjur 'coding challenge'
Diilhamkan daripada komitmen Astro dan NACSA untuk memupuk langkah keselamatan siber yang proaktif, pertandingan itu juga bertujuan untuk menormalisasikan navigasi digital yang selamat dalam ruang siber.
Suhu cecah 42 Celsius, Bangladesh tutup semua sekolah sehingga Sabtu ini
Suhu panas melampau sehingga mencecah 42 Celcius memaksa kerajaan Bangladesh menutup operasi persekolahan yang melibatkan 33 juta pelajar di negara itu.
PM Haiti serah surat peletakan jawatan
Perdana Menteri Haiti, Ariel Henry akhirnya menyerahkan surat peletakan jawatan pada Khamis selepas tidak henti berdepan tekanan antarabangsa bagi mengawal kekacauan kumpulan pengganas di negara itu. Surat rasmi peletakan jawatan yang ditandatangani Ariel Henry diserahkan di Los Angeles dan dikongsi pejabat Perdana Menteri Haiti bersamaan tarikh majlis presiden peralihan ditubuhkan.
RTS JB-Singapura di landasan tepat
Perkambangan pembinaan Projek RTS Johor Bahru-Singapura dilihat berada pada landasan tepat.
Rakyat Israel sudah mula misi bina penempatan kekal di Gaza
Sekumpulan warga Israel yang bermalam di sempadan berarak memasuki Gaza pada pagi Khamis dengan matlamat untuk membuka penempatan kekal di wilayah itu. Dalam poster kumpulan itu yang tular di media sosial, tertera slogan 'tentera telah mendudukinya, maka kami akan menetap disitu'.
Malaysia sebuah negara selamat - Kedutaan AS
Kedutaan Amerika Syarikat di Malaysia menyangkal dakwaan dangkal Profesor Bruce Gilley yang mengatakan Malaysia adalah negara tidak selamat dilawati.
Memetik laporan Free Malaysia Today, pihak kedutaan berkata tiada perubahan kepada nasihat perjalanan yang kekal pada tahap satu, iaitu tahap paling rendah daripada empat tahap.
Memetik laporan Free Malaysia Today, pihak kedutaan berkata tiada perubahan kepada nasihat perjalanan yang kekal pada tahap satu, iaitu tahap paling rendah daripada empat tahap.
Menteri Luar Malaysia perkukuh hubungan dengan China
Menteri Luar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan mengadakan perbincangan substantif dengan rakan sejawatannya, Wang Yi, dalam lawatan pertama beliau ke China sejak memegang jawatan itu pada Disember 2023.
Kakitangan bakal terima tunggakan gaji dalam tempoh 30 bulan
Isu tunggakan gaji membabitkan 20 bekas kakitangan Kedah Agro Holdings Berhad (KAHB) selama sembilan bulan dijangka selesai dalam waktu terdekat selepas kesemua mereka akan menerima bayaran secara berperingkat dalam tempoh 30 bulan berjumlah RM337,000.
Tenis Terbuka Perancis: Nadal mudah lepasi pusingan pertama
Nadal yang mempamerkan aksi dominan, menang 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 untuk mara ke pusingan kedua dengan mudah.
Rafael Nadal raih gelaran ke-12 Terbuka Perancis
Rafael Nadal meraih gelaran ke-12 kejuaraan tenis Terbuka Perancis selepas menewaskan Dominic Thiem 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 sebentar tadi.
Ranking ke-10 dunia milik Chong Wei
Menurut senarai terbaru yang dikeluarkan Persekutuan Badminton Dunia (BWF), Chong Wei melonjak sembilan tangga daripada ranking ke-19 susulan kejuaraan Terbuka Perancis pada Ahad lalu.
Wei Feng mara ke undian utama Terbuka Perancis
Pemain perseorangan kedua negara, Chong Wei Feng layak ke undian utama badminton Siri Super Terbuka Perancis selepas melepasi dua halangan peringkat kelayakan malam tadi.
Stan Wawrinka menang Terbuka Perancis, Djokovic gagal buat kali ketiga
Stan Wawrinka musnahkan harapan Novak Djokovic untuk meraih career grand slam pada Ahad dan terus menjadi pemenang Terbuka Perancis paling tua dalam tempoh 25 tahun.