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Novak Djokovic targets Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record after winning ninth Australian Open

 (TENNIS AUSTRALIA)
(TENNIS AUSTRALIA)

Novak Djokovic has set his sights beyond the men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles and towards Margaret Court’s 24 after winning the Australian Open.

Djokovic took his own tally to 18 following a comfortable 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 win over Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final in Melbourne.

It took the Serbian to within two of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s record of 20 but he hinted he had his eyes on closing the gap on Court.

“Getting closer to maybe Roger’s, Rafa’s record, Serena, Magaret,” he said. “Look, everyone has their own journey and their own way of making history. I’m trying to build that and develop that myself in a very unique, authentic way that is suitable to me.

“Most of my attention and energy from this day forward until I retire from tennis is going to be directed in Majors, trying to win more major trophies.”

Following his latest title, the world No1 is already the overwhelming favourite to win both Wimbledon this summer and the subsequent US Open.

The expectation was that title No18 would come at last year’s US Open only for the 33-year-old to be disqualified for hitting a line judge.

And his coach Goran Ivanisevic said his ninth Australian Open title was integral to getting him back on track in the hunt for the record books.

“He’s getting older and he needed [to win] if he wants to break the record, if he wants to catch Roger and Rafa,” said Ivanisevic. “Rafa is going to win maybe one more, maybe two French Opens. You need to keep on winning. Novak is the favourite in Wimbledon and the US Open.”

Federer is still convalescing at home from double knee surgery, the postponed Australian Open still coming too early for his comeback.

And Ivanisevic predicted both his player and Nadal would go on to surpass Federer in the record books.

TENNIS AUSTRALIA
TENNIS AUSTRALIA

“I said a couple of years ago Rafa and Novak, they are going to overtake Roger, both of them,” he said. “I still believe that. They surprise me every day. Maybe they’re going to surpass Margaret Court and Serena, maybe not.”

Djokovic admitted after his straight-sets demolition of Medvedev that he was still motivated by the feats of both Federer and Nadal.

And speaking on Monday, he said he would adjust his calendar to focus almost solely on the Majors in his quest for the record books.

It is unclear when Djokovic will return to action. He underwent a second MRI scan on Monday on his abdominal tear, which was measured at 1.7centimetres when he first sustained it in the tournament and had grown to 2.5cm under the latest scan.

Of the injury, he said: “It’s not too bad judging by what the doctor said but I’ll have to take some time off for it to heal properly.”

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