Well, first I think he's in a bit of a different situation than Rafa - he's still healthy, and thus still able to be very competitive. I mean, we're just four months removed from the end of his amazing 2023 season in which he won three Slams, and from RG on he was utterly dominant: two Slam wins, one Slam final, two Masters wins, WTF win -- a 34-2 match record during that span. A crazy run. He's had a sub-par start, but it is only three tournaments. Last year between AO and RG he had a similar sub-par period: four tournaments in a row without going beyond a SF (Dubai) - R16 loss at Monte-Carlo, QF loss at Banja Luka (250), and QF loss at Rome to Rune. An 8-4 period, not unlike his 8-3 start to this year (including the United Cup).
Now one thing that I think differentiates Novak from Roger and Rafa, is that Novak came up as the perennial #3...remember that four-year period (2007-10) when he finished #3 every year? He developed a chip on his shoulder, and even when he surged to #1 in 2011 and was the best player in most years since, it is almost like he hasn't given up the ghost.
Rafa had to deal with that as the #2 behind Roger for a few years, but I've always had the sense that Rafa primarily wants to win for himself, to play up to what he perceives he's capable of, whereas Novak wants to be on top of others. Perhaps this is why most find his personality less attractive than Rafa or Roger, both of whom seem to have always primarily been competing against themselves and not as worried about how they compare to others.
Perhaps that still drives Novak. I kind of see him wanting to not only hold most of the significant records, but
all of them...and by margins large enough to make his GOAT status unquestionable. Or to put it another way, I think the idea of "GOAT" looms larger in his mind than Roger or Rafa.
What would that mean, specifically? Well, he's already got Slams, Tour Finals, Masters, big titles, weeks at #1, year-end #1, 3+ titles at each Slam, at least one title at every big tournament, only player with four 3 Slam seasons, and probably some other minor stuff.
What's left? Overall titles, and I think he probably hopes to at least equal Roger's 8 Wimbledon titles. He won't catch Rafa's 14 trophies at a Single Slam, obviously. And of course the Olympics.
So in terms of accomplishments, Novak is probably prioritizing, in no particular order:
- WImbledon #8
- Olympics Gold
- More Slams in general (to get to 25+)
- 6+ more titles to pass Roger (this is probably less of a priority than the above three)
The rest is just gravy.
