A 100 wins at Wimbledon, who else, Novak Djokovic does it

Call him a champion or call him an enigma, Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon is more than a big slice of history. At the most famous Centre Court on Saturday, the seven-time Wimbledon champion produced one more rhapsody, conquering Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 to enter the fourth round of The Championships.

The kind of assault Novak has been launching on records in recent months in tennis defines him as GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), at least for a large cross-section of fans. He had won his 100^th ATP title before the French Open. Yet, to win his 100^th match on green grass at Wimbledon was iconic, a feat which had been achieved before by only two more legends, Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer.

Two decades ago, Novak had shown he was a star in the making it Wimbledon. Now 38, when he is pondering how long he can push his career against the young men with better form and fitness like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Novak is fearless and flawless. The demonstration of tennis which he staged on Saturday against his country-mate was superlative. Before Wimbledon began, Novak had said this is the surface which will suit him the best.

 That was not hype, it was hope. To play tennis which was a rich blend and exceeded expectations, Novak was awesome. At 38, his footwork, presence on court and coming up with audacious stuff had to be applauded. Maybe, when he was young and won his first match at the same venue on June 21, 2005 as an 18-year-old qualifier, his first match-win against Argentina’s Juan Monaco in straight sets on Court 7 went unnoticed. No, not the win two decades later, where many players from that age have turned to coaching or commentary.

There is history being chased by Novak Djokovic as he wants to equal the record of eight Wimbledon titles won by Federer. It is still a long way to go but the body language of Novak, winner of 24 Grand  Slam titles, was awesome. This was grass court tennis, where footwork resembled a trapeze artist. At the same time, like a gymnast executing something daring, his exchange with countryman Miomir peaked in a rally. It was something out of the world for two men to be engaging in exchanging as many as 14 shots in a thriller which saw Novak execute a drop shot. Maybe, such things are designed only for Novak, who, in two decades at Wimbledon has seen so many exchanges.

Indeed, at a time when big names as ‘seed’s bombed at the box office in the first two days of this famous fortnight, it has led to a debate again. Someone like well-known coach Patrick Mouratoglou has suggested that the gap between the end of the French Open and Wimbledon be increased beyond three weeks. Such a suggestion is bizarre, as, in a packed tennis calendar, making changes is impossible. If the famous coach, a Frenchman, thinks such changes will help the other players, that’s a debate. In 20 years at The Championships, Novak has competed with finesse and feel. There is no need to change things which are just fine.

Perhaps, the harder the climb up the hill, Novak enjoys it more. This is like a mountaineer wanting to reach the peak of assaults on hills where the weather conditions are beyond control as well as the slippery surface. What Novak is attempting is not manic, it his belief, his faith, he can still be a big force in tennis, more so on a surface like grass. There was that long rally, where all kinds of shots with different trajectories were exchanged. And to see Novak then punch a volley deep off his backhand was a reminder how he sees the court, the gaps, and how to attain perfection.

In the good old day, Novak came with his team. Now, in daughter young Tara, he has a big fan and supporter. She did a beautiful gig to celebrate her Dad’s success and smiled. Jeez, these moments show what legendary stuff Novak is conjuring even now. The show has to go on.

Reflecting on his 100 wins at Wimbledon, said Novak: “It sounds very nice, particularly at this age. I am still going strong and still trying to compete with the younger players. I’m doing some slides and some splits on the court and am pushing myself to the limit.” One thing is to enjoy what you do and keep going. Novak knows, the bookmakers don’t favour him, but that does not matter. He has fans and family cheering for him. “Wimbledon is a dream tournament. And any history I make at my favourite tournament, I am blessed,” added Novak.