GOAT RACE

Roger and Rafa left in Novak's wake as Serb enters running for the best athlete of all time

- NEIL MCLEMAN

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has left Roger behind legends Federer and Rafa Nadal in the tennis GOAT race.

Now the unstoppable Serbian superstar is in the running to be considered the greatest athlete of all time.

After his French Open triumph the new world No.1 quickly refocused on his first calendar Grand Slam by retaining his Wimbledon title and then making a winning return to New York.

His coach Goran Ivanisevic said: "You can't ever bet against Novak.

NFL superstar Tom Brady was in the Court PhilippeChatrier as part of Djkovic's entourage to see the 36-year-old overtake Nadal to win his 23rd Grand Slam singles title.

He draws level with Serena Williams and only Margaret Court, who won 13 of her 24 before the Open era, has won more Grand Slam singles titles.

But his former Davis Cup team-mate Janko Tipsarevic said: "For me the history of the tennis GOAT was already decided two years ago.

"But now, what we have to put on the table, 'Is he not the best athlete in history?'