Chris Eubanks: ATP players praise Novak Djokovic's underrated serve
novak Djokovic’s serve is getting fresh attention after retired player Christopher Eubanks said many current ATP players view it as underrated, comments he made while appearing on Andy Roddick’s podcast, Served. The observation lands against Djokovic’s record as a 24-time Grand Slam winner and the perception of him as one of the most complete players in the sport’s history.
Eubanks on what peers tell him
While appearing on the Served podcast, Eubanks—identified in the context as a retired tennis player who never had a chance to face Djokovic in his career—said many players on tour believe Djokovic’s serve does not get the applause it should. Eubanks framed the serve as an underrated element of a game otherwise widely regarded as nearly flawless.
Novak's serve numbers, in plain figures
The context supplies career percentages used to back the argument. Djokovic landed 65% of his first serves and won 74% of those points. His points won coming off the second serve sit at 55%. For comparison, Roger Federer landed 62% of his first serves and won 77% of those points, while Rafael Nadal landed 68% of his first serves but won 72% of first-service points. For all three, their numbers fall into the unclear in the provided context.
Where Djokovic’s game shows cracks and strengths
The material notes that if Djokovic has any flaw, it is a tendency to lose focus or composure in tight matches, which can lead to a significant number of errors. At the same time, the same material emphasizes that Djokovic is considered one of the most mentally tough players in tennis. "You don't win that many Grand Slams without being mentally tough, " the context states, pairing the mental-strength claim with the observation about occasional lapses in tight moments.
How peers frame the serve versus other weapons
Eubanks’ comments reflect a view among tour players that Djokovic’s serve does not receive equal attention next to other parts of his game. The context repeats that peers see the serve as underrated and highlights that this assessment comes from conversations on tour and from Eubanks’ remarks on Andy Roddick’s podcast, Served.
What remains unclear
The provided material ends with an incomplete sentence—"For all three, their numbers fall into the"—and does not complete that thought; this specific point is unclear in the provided context. Beyond that fragment, the context does not offer match-specific examples, dates, or comments from other named players to expand the peer perspective.
What happens next is unclear in the provided context.
