Grand slam number 24! Mamba mentality makes Djokovic the GOAT

Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Sunday to win his fourth US Open and a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, cementing his claim as the greatest tennis player in history. The 36-year-old Djokovic won 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to become the oldest men's champion in New York in the Open era and match Margaret Court's all-time mark for most Grand Slam victories.

Djokovic wore a white jacket with the number 24 on his chest during the trophy presentation. Beneath it was a shirt in tribute to the late Kobe Bryan, Nole's friend who rose to prominence by wearing the number 24 jersey.

"I don't know where to start. It obviously means the world to me. It's hard to describe. I'm really living my childhood dream to compete at the highest level in this sport. I never imagined I would be standing talking about 24 Grand Slams but the last couple of years I've felt I have a chance and I have a shot at history and why not grab it."

It was quite fitting that Novak spoke of his love for the basketball legend Bryant on American soil. It's as if it was written in the stars.

"Kobe was a close friend. We chatted a lot about the winner's mentality. When I was struggling with the injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game, he was one of the people that I rely on the most. He was always there for any kind of counsel advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way. So, of course what happened a few years ago and him and his daughter passing, hurt me deeply."

The Serbian is the first man to win three Grand Slam events in the same season four times, crowning his impending return to world number one in the most fitting of ways inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory added to his wins at the Australian and French Opens earlier this year, with the only blemish his five-set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of Wimbledon in July.

Novak is driven on through controversy by his determination to be the greatest ever. The Serb's victory over Medvedev at Flushing Meadows took him two Slams clear of great rival Rafael Nadal at the top of the list of men's Slam champions.

For 36-year-old Djokovic, it matters to be the best, and he has a strong sense of his historical place in tennis. He also keeps ploughing on through the highs and lows because it is "a great school of life".

"I would like to send a message to every young person out there. I was a seven-year-old dreaming that I could win Wimbledon and be world no.1 one day. I am beyond grateful but I feel I had the power to create my own destiny. I believe it and feel it with every cell in my body. Be in the present moment, forget about the past. If you want a better future, you create it."

Yet while Nadal and now-retired Roger Federer are widely admired, Djokovic continues to divide opinion. His staggering achievements on the court have often been overshadowed by blunders and missteps off it.

At the French Open this year, he wrote "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" on a courtside TV camera lens as ethnic tensions were again rising in the Balkans. On court at Roland Garros, he was booed for fist-pumping as semi-final rival Carlos Alcaraz wilted with cramping. Djokovic remains indifferent to the critics.

"I don't mind. It's not the first; probably not the last. I'll just keep winning."

His most controversial moment was his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid, which culminated with Djokovic being deported from Melbourne on the eve of the 2022 Australian Open. His uncompromising stance on the vaccine also saw him barred from the United States and unable to play in last year's US Open. Even before that, the Serb was seemingly doomed never to be held in the same saintly esteem as Federer or Nadal, the undisputed people's champions. There are those who see something too calculating in the Djokovic make-up -- an intense, brooding presence prone to affectation.

His infamous default from the US Open in 2020 for petulantly swiping at a ball that hit a female line judge gave a glimpse of his fiery character. And some of his personal stances have drawn criticism -- one claim that raised eyebrows was his belief that it was possible to alter the composition of water and food through positive thinking. However, the career achievements and resolve of a player who was the first to smash through the $150 million prize-money barrier cannot be doubted.

Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic, himself also a former Wibledon winner, called Novak a genius.

"He's a genius. He's one of kind. Not too many people in this world like him, sport-wise. He's a born winner. For him, when you tell him he cannot do something, it's even worse. Then he's going to show you that he can do it. It's no excuses. He always try to find a way how to win, how to fight, even when he's not feeling well, injured, not injured."

Djokovic, who left Belgrade when he was 12 to train in Munich and escape NATO's bombardment of his home city, captured the first of his 24 majors at the Australian Open in 2008. It was three years before he added his second. He dropped gluten from his diet, his lithe physique allowing him to chase down lost causes, transforming him into the rubber man of tennis with a rock-steady defence. In 2011 he enjoyed a spectacular year, winning three of four Slams and becoming world number one for the first time.

In total, he has 10 Australian Opens, seven Wimbledons, four US Open titles and three French Opens. He is the only man to win all four majors at least three times. His collection of 39 Masters titles is also a record as is his 389 weeks spent as world number one. And time appears to be on his side in the quest to be considered the greatest.

Federer is retired now while Nadal, 37, is sitting out the rest of the season due to a hip injury which might well see him permanently sidelined. Djokovic also shows few signs of losing his physical edge -- 12 of his 24 Grand Slams have come after he turned 30.

Who is the GOAT then? It's clear as day. Novan Djokovic.