Simon on Djokovic and His Quest for a 25th Grand Slam: "Time Has a Hold on Everyone, and Novak Is Realizing That Now"
Novak Djokovic, approaching 38, continues to fight to remain among the best, even though Jakub Mensik defeated him in the Miami Masters 1000 final last Sunday.
Asked by Tennis365, Gilles Simon believes the physical level of the former world No. 1 is increasingly becoming a factor:
"If there's one player who can find a solution, it's Novak. But he's fighting against something difficult and uncontrollable: time.
Time moves in only one direction, and I'm sure he's working hard to stay in the best shape possible. His tennis isn’t the issue.
That’s why I once said he wouldn’t reach 30 Grand Slams. I said 25 would be the maximum. Today, we realize that time has a hold on everyone, and Novak is realizing it too.
I’m sure he already knew it before, but the difference now is that he feels it. Still, he’ll have good weeks. And when he’s in a good week, he’s the player we all know—the one who can win everything."
