Novak Djokovic is really close to achieving something incredible in tennis. He just needs one more major win to break a record that’s been around for more than fifty years. With his 24th Grand Slam title win at the 2023 US Open, the Serbian superstar has matched the all-time singles record set by Australian legend Margaret Court back in 1973.

Every year, and with each tournament, everyone in the sports world is keeping an eye on Djokovic, who’s now 38, to see if he can finally snag that elusive 25th title. It would really solidify his status as the undisputed numerical king of the sport. This chase has really turned into a key story in the final chapters of his career. But for the woman whose record he’s after, the thought of being surpassed doesn’t bring anxiety. Instead, she feels a calm confidence and believes in the lasting impact of her own, bigger legacy.

According to We Love Tennis, the 83-year-old Court shared her thoughts on Djokovic’s pursuit, highlighting two different milestones in the conversation. She shared a down-to-earth perspective on her singles tally, saying, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the record of 24 wins is broken.” She was really clear about how she feels about her other achievement, saying, “But I don’t think the 64-win record will ever be. Whatever tennis does, it can never erase what I’ve achieved.”

She has an incredible total of 64 Grand Slam titles across all disciplines: 24 in singles, 19 in women’s doubles, and a record 21 in mixed doubles. This combined haul really shows off her versatility and dominance, something we don’t see often in today’s tennis. It’s what Court believes makes her record truly untouchable. Her confidence comes from a career that was both incredibly productive and truly historic.

She’s the only tennis player, whether male or female, to have snagged the “Career Boxed Set”—winning the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at all four major tournaments, and she’s done it not just once, but twice!

Her 1970 season is still considered one of the highlights of the sport, as she managed to win the calendar-year Grand Slam, taking home all four major singles titles. Also, her 11 Australian Open singles titles are a tournament record for any player. This achievement happened during a time when the event’s remote location kept many top international stars from making the trip, which often comes up in discussions about how strong her competition really was.

Another perspective on the Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic comparison

For sure, the discussion around Novak Djokovic’s achievements in the modern era versus Margaret Court’s accomplishments from the pre-and-early Open Era is always a hot topic.

Prominent tennis historian Steve Flink has shared his thoughts on Djokovic’s chase for a 25th major, saying, “What I don’t understand is his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam. It makes sense in terms of surpassing Margaret Court. But it’s a false argument, a false target. Mainly from the media, because they constantly place his photo next to Margaret’s.”

Flink went on to say, “He’s not in competition with Margaret Court because she isn’t even in the conversation for the greatest female player of all time. She’s far from it. Every expert would rank [Martina] Navratilova, [Steffi] Graf, Serena Williams, and [Chris] Evert above Margaret.”

So, with all this information, it has got a lot of fans thinking that Djokovic, with his 24 titles all earned in the super competitive Open Era against big names like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and now Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, has pretty much locked in his place as the greatest, no matter the number.