Bjorn Borg, the legendary Swedish tennis player who coached all three members of the sport's historic trio, has crowned Novak Djokovic as the greatest player of all time. The 70-year-old, who won 11 Grand Slam titles before retiring at 26 due to burnout, worked with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic during his time as Team Europe captain at the Laver Cup.
Borg's Verdict on the GOAT Debate
When asked to unofficially settle the debate in an interview with Sky Sports, Borg placed Djokovic at the top. "I think the way he's playing, Djokovic, for me, is the greatest player to have ever played the game," he answered last year. "And then the second place comes to Federer and Nadal. They are tied for the second place."
Borg expressed admiration for Djokovic's longevity and form. "It's amazing how he [Djokovic] can play that kind of tennis at 38 years old. I'm very impressed. I know he wants to win that 25th Grand Slam tournament. I hope he's going to play one more year, at least next year too, because the tennis he's playing. It's going to be tough with [Jannik] Sinner and [Carlos] Alcaraz and some other players too, but still, he can do it."
Djokovic's Uncertain Future
A year on from Borg's declaration, Djokovic's future in the sport looks uncertain after his shock exit from the US Open first round last month. The Serbian superstar, 39, lost a five-set thriller to Argentine Mariano Navone in a match where he was hampered by illness and even had to be sick in a towel bin.
An emotional Djokovic suggested that retirement could be on the horizon after the defeat in New York. He said: "When it comes to the match itself, and the overall feeling of how I felt with my body and playing, it was really not enjoyable. But, from the perspective of the crowd and support, it was incredible. I'm very sorry that I didn't perform as well as I should have, could have, or wanted - for them."
Ranking Slip
The 24-time major champion has prioritised the Grand Slams in recent years and has seen his world ranking suffer because of that. Djokovic now sits 12th in the world, which will mark his lowest end-of-year ranking since 2006.
