This week, 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim profiled the world’s number one ranked tennis player, Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments this year, bringing his total number of Grand Slam victories to 24, surpassing the record held by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who won 22 and 20 respectively. Incredibly, Djokovic achieved this record feat at the age of 36, an age he never imagined reaching in the sport.
Djokovic’s reign as the most dominant athlete in men’s tennis is far from over, Wertheim told 60 Minutes Extra.
“The guy had won three of the four Grand Slams, and he was two points away from winning them all,” he explained. “Can he play four more years, five more years? Sure.”
Wertheim revisited his coverage of Djokovic’s rise to the top of men’s tennis as a Sports Illustrated writer, discussed the importance of mental toughness in Djokovic’s game and looked back at Djokovic’s 60 Minutes debut in 2012.
Djokovic and Wertheim first met at the French Open in 2006, when Djokovic was just 19 years old. In a 2007 Sports Illustrated article titled “Not Yet, Novak,” Wertheim expressed some doubt that Djokovic would disrupt the Federer-Nadal rivalry that had been brewing. In men’s tennis for a long time.
“There is a feeling – even in the locker room – that this is the champion of the future,” he wrote. “But let’s stop before we say that he broke the Federer-Nadal axis.”
“Nobody said, ‘Oh, this guy is going to win 24 Grand Slams and counting, and he’s going to reset all the records and beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who came before him,’” Wertheim explained.
That all changed in 2008, when Djokovic won his first Grand Slam tournament, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final to win the Australian Open.
“We were all like, ‘Oh, maybe this is going to be a triathlon now,’” Wertheim said.
But breaking this axis between Federer and Nadal will take a few more years. Djokovic told Wertheim in his interview that he often felt afraid when playing against them.
Then in 2011, Djokovic had what Wertheim described as one of the “all-time great seasons in tennis history.” He won three of the Grand Slams that year, defeating Federer and Nadal in several high-pressure matches.
“I think a lot of it was mentality and confidence,” Wertheim said. “And what he told me was that he was no longer intimidated by these guys.”
At the end of this amazing season, 60 Minutes producer Dragan Mihajlovic and 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon traveled to Belgrade, Serbia to interview Djokovic, then 24 years old.
Simon asked Djokovic how it felt to know that this could be the pinnacle of his career. Djokovic confidently answered that he will remain in tennis for many years to come.
“I don’t have a ceiling when I want to say, ‘OK, I’ll play until this age and then I’ll stop,'” he told Simon.
Simon Djokovic asked how long is the average career of a professional tennis player. Djokovic guessed his age was “usually around 30 or 32 years old.”
“Novak Djokovic could not have imagined that at the age of 36, he would not only still be playing, but that he would still be playing at a level commensurate with 2011, still win three Grand Slam titles, and still finish the year as No. 1.” He said.
Wertheim asked Djokovic, now 36, who would win a match against the 24-year-old Djokovic.
“I think all 36 players will win,” Djokovic said. “I was a little faster 10 years ago. But I think I can probably play smarter today. I’m also able to deal with moments of pressure better than I was ten years ago.”
Wertheim said Djokovic’s mental strength is a crucial factor in his dominance in the sport, something he has developed with age.
“It’s very hard to get statistics on this, but the guy on the other side of the net definitely knows it,” he said. “He’s the best mental player I think in the history of men’s tennis.”
Wertheim said that “constitution, confidence and self-confidence” gave Djokovic the advantage in high-pressure moments in tense matches.
Djokovic said his mental attitude is not a gift: it is something that has to be worked on over time. Techniques such as conscious breathing help him manage pressure on the field. He also took up writing diaries a few years ago.
“I try to put pen to paper as much as I can,” Djokovic said. “You’re purging emotionally… spending some quality time with yourself, with your thoughts. I think that serves you well.”
Wertheim asked Djokovic when he thought it was time to retire.
“Once the guys start attacking me, I’ll probably start to rethink and wonder if I should continue,” he said. “But for now, it’s all good.”
The video above was produced and edited by Will Croxton.
Over the past decade, Novak Djokovic has solidified himself as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s tennis. His rise to the top has been a captivating journey, filled with triumphs and challenges that have shaped him into the champion he is today. In this 60 Minutes special, we will delve into the coverage of Novak Djokovic’s remarkable ascent to becoming the world’s number one tennis player, exploring the key moments and factors that have propelled him to the peak of the sport. From his early beginnings to his record-breaking achievements, we will uncover the unique story of Djokovic’s rise to greatness. Join us as we unravel the compelling narrative of one of tennis’s most iconic figures.