Trying To Enjoy The Moment

The Australian Open is coming up. Tennis legend Novak Djokovic talks about what still makes him want to compete

- Jake Nevins

BY MOST UNSCIENTIFIC metrics, the Lacoste crocodile is one of the oldest animals in the world.

Founded in 1933, the year the label began manufacturing its first collared tennis shirt, the insignia has become synonymous with a certain kind of sporty refinement. But when Novak Djokovic rolled up to the 5th Avenue Lacoste store on a Friday night in August last year, manoeuvering gracefully around the hordes of screaming fans clamouring for his attention, on one of the store's walls, the crocodile had become a goat—its neck craned upwards just slightly, almost arrogantly. This was not some sort of Kafkaesque gimmick but a tribute to the brand ambassador. No man can lay a stronger claim to being the greatest player of all time—that is GOAT—than Djokovic, the last paladin of the sport's Big Three, rounded out by the now-retired Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Question: You've always spoken candidly about wanting to reach various milestones in your career, whether it be winning Olympic gold or your 25th Slam. What does being called the "GOAT"—greatest of all time—mean to you?