A Tale Of Two Seasons And Two Champions

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“We know what we are, but know not what may be.”

−Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5

After Novak Djokovic re-bounded from a first-set loss to thrash Andy Murray in the French Open final, he was showered with accolades. “Djokovic is almost inhuman,” Pat Cash wrote in The Times (UK). “He’s mentally so tough. I can’t see anybody getting through him at Wimbledon. Is Djokovic the perfect player? Well, in this era of the slow courts, he’s about as close as you can get.”

By capturing the only major title that had eluded him in 11 previous tries, Djokovic achieved a rare career Grand Slam. The Roland Garros tour de force also gave him four straight majors — the first man to achieve that since Australian legend Rod Laver in 1969. With 12 majors, Djokovic thrust himself into the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) conversation.

COULD THE SERB SUPERSTAR win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open to win a calendar-year Grand Slam, after barely missing it by one loss — the French final — in 2015? Could he overtake the declining Rafael Nadal and the retired Pete Sampras with 14 career majors, or even surpass all-time leader Roger Federer at 17?

Nothing seemed impossible for Djokovic then. After playing third fiddle to Federer and Nadal for most of the past decade, Djokovic looked unstoppable at barely 29. He had seized five of the last six majors, the last four ATP Finals, and 10 of the last 14 Masters titles.

DJOKOVIC’S POPULARITY WAS