Novak Djokovic is hitting ever greater heights ahead of the Australian Open posing problems for his rivals, and raising distant hopes of the first ever men’s “Golden Slam”.
Picking up where he left off after a blistering 2015, Djokovic destroyed Rafael Nadal in last week’s Qatar Open final, in a performance the Spaniard called “stratospheric”.
“I played against a player who did everything perfect. I know nobody playing tennis like this ever,” said the 14-time Grand Slam-winner.
No male player, and only Steffi Graf on the women’s side, has ever achieved the “Golden Slam”: winning all four major titles and Olympic singles gold in a single year.
Last season Djokovic fell just one victory short of the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, after losing the French Open final to Stan Wawrinka.
Acknowledging his form, the 28-year-old said in Doha: “I’m hoping that I can actually peak and play as well as I did today in Melbourne.”
A strong performance looks likely in Melbourne, Djokovic’s most successful Grand Slam where he has won five out of five finals, including last year against Andy Murray.
But the 10-time major champion will not be looking too far beyond the year’s opening Grand Slam, which starts on Monday.
“My thoughts are only directed to Melbourne and what I need to do there,” he said.