Following in the footsteps of McEnroe and Borg
Two of the greatest tennis players in history could have their records broken at Roland Garros, which begins this Sunday. And precisely by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Cassius Oliveira_247 – The most traditional Grand Slam in tennis is about to begin. Roland Garros, in France, which has already brought much joy to Brazilians with Gustavo Kuerten's three titles, could see some records broken or equaled in this 2011 edition. And these are records involving two of the greatest legends in the history of the sport: the Swede Bjorn Borg and the American John McEnroe.
The sensation of the current season, with 37 consecutive victories, Serbian Novak Djokovic will break McEnroe's record if he wins his first five matches. The American's feat, which still stands today, dates back to 1984. McEnroe says he is thrilled with the possibility of the Serbian breaking his personal record: “I've been following his progress and it's very interesting to see the confidence with which he's playing. It was incredible how he dominated Federer and Nadal, surprising. What Djokovic is doing reminds me of 1984. I'm excited because he could break my record at Roland Garros.”
If he succeeds in his mission, Djokovic will have an extra prize: he will surpass Spaniard Rafael Nadal and become the world's number one tennis player. But the draw wasn't very kind to the Serbian. He could face Argentine Juan Martín del Potro, US Open champion, in the third round, Brazilian Thomas Bellucci or Frenchman Richard Gasquet (in the fourth) and Czech Tomas Berdych in the decisive match for the record. Opponents inferior to Djokovic, but still considered strong.
Another player who could achieve a significant career milestone is Spaniard Rafael Nadal. By winning the Roland Garros title, he will equal the record of Swede Bjorn Borg – considered by many to be the best of all time – of six French Open Grand Slam titles before turning 25. But Nadal would have an advantage: he has played in fewer editions than the Swede, with seven compared to eight. The Spaniard's debut will be against American John Isner, a tennis player with a powerful serve who doesn't perform well on clay.
Which record will be broken on the French clay courts: Borg's or McEnroe's?
Below, watch highlights from a match between these two geniuses: