Australian Open: Boris Becker Reveals Novak Djokovic's Biggest 'Priority' And It Involves Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic's former coach Boris Becker believes breaking Rafael Nadal's record is the Serbian player's biggest priority at the moment.

Nadal won two Grand Slam titles – Australian Open and Roland Garros – last year and took his majors tally to 22, the current all-time record among ATP players. Later in the year, Djokovic cut down the deficit when he clinched his 21st Grand Slam trophy by winning the Wimbledon Championships.

Nothing other than becoming the leader in the Grand Slam race would satisfy Djokovic, for whom being the greatest of all time in terms of most major titles won is more important than anything else, according to Becker, who coached Djokovic for three years from 2013 to 2016.

"In the depths of his soul, Novak wants to become the most successful tennis player of all time. At the moment, that's Nadal, you have to say that clearly. This record of Nadal's is the highest priority for Djokovic. Anything else would not be credible," Becker told Eurosport ahead of the calendar year's opening Grand Slam in Melbourne.

Australian Open 2023 will begin at Melbourne Park on Monday. In the absence of World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal has entered the tournament as the top seed, while record nine-time winner Djokovic is seeded eighth.

Nadal clinched the Australian Open last year when Djokovic was deported from the country for being unvaccinated against COVID-19. Since Roger Federer has retired from professional tennis with 20 Grand Slams, the all-time Grand Slam race has come down to Nadal and Djokovic, who is a year younger and fitter than his Spanish rival.

Meanwhile, Tennis legend Martina Navratilova backed Djokovic to win three out of the four Grand Slam events this year.

"The odds are with Novak Djokovic. Chances are he'll win one, or two, maybe even three Majors this year. Rafa is an odds-on favorite at Roland Garros, but the rest of them, for me, Novak is the favorite in all the other three Majors. So, somebody's got to beat him and make him pay the price, but right now, odds-on favorite in all those three," Martina Navratilova told Tennis Channel in a recent interview.

Nadal's first-round game at Australian Open 2023 is against Great Britain's Jack Draper, while Djokovic is set to open the campaign by taking on Spain's Carballes Baena.