US Open | Juan Martin Del Potro believes Novak Djokovic can break Roger Federer’s record

US Open | Juan Martin Del Potro believes Novak Djokovic can break Roger Federer’s record

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Juan Martin Del Potro is of the opinion that former world number one - Novak Djokovic has it in him to break Swiss legend, Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slams in the coming years. Del Potro went down 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 3-6 against Djokovic in the final of the 2018 US Open on Sunday.

Serbian tennis ace, Novak Djokovic, continued his resurgence with a brilliant triumph in the final of the 2018 US Open ending the "year" with two consecutive Grand Slam titles. The 31-year old player beat world number three - del Potro - by a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Sunday to clinch the third US Open title of his career. The win took Djokovic’s total Grand Slam count to 14, which saw him equal the tally of tennis great - Pete Sampras. And his opponent was quick to add that Djokovic could very well be en route to break the record of 20 grand slam wins set by Roger Federer in the years to come.

"Of course he can," said Del Potro when asked if Djokovic can claim the record over Federer who is almost six years his senior. He has 14 already. He won two Grand Slams in one year. He's healthy. He has a great team working with him.

"Hopefully him, Rafa, Roger will still fight for Grand Slams, because it is so nice to watch them fighting for the history. We just do what we can against them. But Novak has everything to make records in this sport," del Potro told AFP sources.

Del Potro was playing in his first Grand Slam final since lifting the US Open title in 2009 at the age of 20, where he registered back-to-back wins against Nadal and Federer. He has a peculiar knack of beating higher-ranked players and has 10 wins over world number one players, which is the most by anyone who has never reached the top ranking themselves.

"Of course, it is a big challenge to take these kind of tournaments to them. But also I think we are proud to be close to these legends. I've been during all my career learning with Novak, Roger, Rafa, seeing them winning these events very often. It's amazing.

"I don't feel sad that I couldn't win Grand Slams because of them. I am just one of the guys that have lucky to be in the same era as them, and it's great," Del Potro added.

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