FORGET about aces or double-faults, winners or unforced errors: The statistic that has come to mean the most in tennis these days is “Grand Slam titles won.”
Which is why so much attention will be paid to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams at the Australian Open.
Play begins at Melbourne Park on Monday, with Williams and Djokovic among those on the schedule and Nadal’s first-round match set for Day 2. Each match for each member of that trio is a possible step on the way to some history.
“People love records, don’t they?” said Chris Evert, an 18-time major champion who now is an ESPN analyst. “I, for one, think that too much is made of Grand Slam wins.”
This is Nadal’s first chance to grab sole possession of the men’s mark for most Grand Slam singles titles. He pulled even with Roger Federer at 20 by winning the French Open in October, beating Djokovic in a lopsided final. (Federer is still sidelined after two knee operations).
A second Australian Open trophy also would allow Nadal to become the first man in the Open era to win each Grand Slam tournament at least twice. He has 13 championships at Roland Garros, four at the US Open, two at Wimbledon.
He still would have work to do to catch Williams: She already has 23 Slam singles titles (plus 14 in doubles and two in mixed doubles), the most by anyone in the Open era. Only one player owns more: Margaret Court, with 24—11 after professionals were admitted to major tournaments.
“It’s definitely on my shoulders and on my mind,” Williams said about 24. “I think it’s good to be on my mind. I think it’s a different burden, I should say, on my shoulders, because I’m used to it now.”
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