French Open: Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic going up against history
PARIS — When Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic step onto the court to start their French Open campaigns, they not only face their opponents across the net, but they go up against history as well.
The respective world No. 1s are again the talk of the sport in their quest to further etch their name into this game’s record books.
For Serena, it is the continued chase for a 22nd Grand Slam, her third attempt to equal Steffi Graf’s Open era record. And for Djokovic, he’s playing a fifth French Open in which he has the chance to complete the career Grand Slam – winning all four majors at least once.
“The record books always affect you,” said 18-time major winner Martina Navratilova in a phone interview. “You create that with your own success; it’s cumulative.”
Both Williams and Djokovic are favored this year, coming in as the top seeds and winners of clay court titles in the lead-up. But as experienced as they are, it's never easy for a player to do something for the first time.
“[I will] try to get my hands on this title this year,” Djokovic said, having reached the final here three out of the last four years. “But if it doesn't happen, you know, there is always another year, because I don't have any intention of slowing down yet.”
The slowing down has happened for Williams, who suffered a shock loss in the U.S. Open semifinals to Roberta Vinci in September, two match wins from the calendar Grand Slam. In January, the 34-year-old was was denied in the Australian Open final by Angelique Kerber.
She has played just four tournaments this year, but it’s a pace she seems to prefer. Last week she won her 70th career title in Rome.
Williams arrives in Paris and chases No. 22 for a third consecutive major. It took her four attempts to reach No. 18 – the famous number that Navratilova and Chris Evert landed at – back at the U.S. Open in 2014.
The talk of a 22nd major is something she’s had to mute, Williams told reporters in January at the Australian Open.
“I definitely block it out,” Williams said. “I was one off last year, too. If I don't win [in the final] I'll still be one off. It took me forever to get to 18. I was so stressed out. I don't want to relive that at all.”
She remains one Slam off at the start of Roland Garros, though that means – once again – seven wins to achieve history.
“Great champions are good at compartmentalizing, otherwise it would just be too much,” said Navratilova, in Paris as a Tennis Channel commentator. “We don’t think about it until the press brings it up. You have to go back to winning match by match, round by round.”
Djokovic does not have to contend with Roger Federer, the 17-time major champion out with a back injury. Rafael Nadal, the nine-time winner here, is back at full throttle, however, and other foes loom in Andy Murray, the No. 2 seed who beat him last week in Rome, as well as defending champion Stan Wawrinka, who comes in fresh off a title in Geneva.
The kind of player-versus-history battle is nothing new to Djokovic or to Serena, though what they are trying to do can appear next level.
Navratilova sees it as a chance to once again prove their greatness.
“It’s the Grand Slams... This is what matters,” she said. “I look at it as an opportunity for them: Majors happen four times a year, not once every four years like the Olympics. For Serena, right now the focus is tying Steffi, then she can look towards Margaret Court’s record.”
Court won 24 majors, but some of them before tennis’ Open era began in 1968.
Djokovic is trying to become just the sixth man in the Open era to win at all four tournaments, and join active royalty in Federer and Nadal.
But can Djokovic imagine the career Grand Slam never happening for him? Ever? At all?
“I can, because so far it hasn't happened,” he said, laughing. “So I'm imagining it every day. But I'm also imagining myself, you know, being the winner.”
The latter outcome would certainly be the one he – and Serena – would much prefer.