Thread by @aymanfadel

I'm as big a hater as the next hater, but even I want @DjokerNole to win @usopen #tennis championship & complete the calendar grand slam.

#1, no man has accomplished this for more than 5 decades. Rooting against Novak at this point is like rooting against the next interplanetary rover just because you don't like the nation which launched it. This is an amazing, inspirational feat. Let's hope Djokovic can do it.

#2, yes, Novak isn't as polished & smooth as Federer & Nadal. But 99% of humanity aren't as smooth as those two. I love @RafaelNadal's honesty, openness & humility. I love @rogerfederer's grace on the court & ease navigating the press & corporate sponsorships & everyday life.

But those are reasons to root for them. They aren't playing in this tournament. They're not going to gain anything by Novak stumbling.

#3, in addition to being the last leg of the grand slam, a Djokovic win would put his career grand slam championship count at 21, one more than both Roger and Rafael. So, this is somewhat painful for their fans. At this point, however, we must almost concede that, barring injury

or the emergence of better challengers to Novak's dominance, Novak will end up with more titles than anybody. Rafa should pick up one or more French Open titles. Novak is a threat at all four grand slam tournaments for at least 2-3 more years. I'm just hoping Roger will play

again.

4. Of the remaining players in the draw, the one with the best record against Novak is Alexander Zverev, against whom credible charges of assault have been made. Certainly some of the players are charismatic and potentially leading stars of the game, but none has a story

more compelling than completion of the Grand Slam.

5. The GOAT conversation is over

As much as I hate to admit it, Novak is the #GOAT. It doesn't mean that I have to rip down my Roger Federer poster or remove my Rafa screensaver. But numbers don't lie. A loss in this year's US

Open won't change this. The sooner we accept this, the more we'll be able to enjoy men's tennis.

6. Finally, Novak isn't an awful human being. Yes, his comments at this year's Olympics weren't well thought out in the context of Simone Biles. Yes, he didn't deal with COVID-19

properly. Yes, early in his career, some antics weren't appropriate. Yes, he has had embarrassing outbursts of anger on court. But he's not a war criminal for God's sakes. He's done nothing to deserve hateration at the level required to root against such an epic achievement.

May Novak win this year's US Open and achieve the calendar Grand Slam.

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