He is the tennis player who Novak Djokovic said has loads of potential and reminded him of Muhammad Ali

Novak Djokovic is one without doubt one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and he’s enjoyed a magnificent career.

The Serbian player has won 24 Grand Slam titles to date, and he’s currently in pursuit of a 25th, and it’s impossible to rule him out of the reckoning whenever a major tournament comes to town.

Djokovic lost to Alejandro Talibo in Monte Carlo last week and has chosen not to play in the Barcelona Open, which is taking place this week ahead of the Madrid Open next week.

Djokovic claimed his first Grand Slam title way back in 2008 when he was crowned the Australian Open champion, and it’s quite remarkable just how long he’s managed to sustain a place in the higher echelons of the sport.

Novak Djokovic compared Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to Muhammad Ali

Tsonga burst onto the scene in 2008 when he reached the final of the Melbourne-based Grand Slam, where he came up against Djokovic who had also never won a major crown.

Before the final, Djokovic was quizzed on the Frenchman. He was a new kid on the block in tennis terms and had never really made waves at a Grand Slam before that year.

The Serb was in the mood to praise his fellow finalist and compared him to one of boxing’s most decorated legendary figures

Djokovic said in his press conference: “Well, you know, I think everybody’s surprised with the way he plays.

“And I think – I knew that he’s a good player with a lot of potential and a lot of talent. He’s been struggling with some injuries. But he’s coming back big time, really.

“He reminds me of Muhammad Ali in his best days. And he looks like him, actually.

“But he’s been playing some great tennis, really. And he’s a really nice guy, so I’m happy for him.”

Tsonga never had his day in the sun at a Grand Slam

This was as good as it got for the Frenchman when it came to the four big events on the professional circuit.

At the 2008 Australian Open, Tsonga came through a tough match against Rafael Nadal in the last four and perhaps he will view this major as the one that he simply had to win.

Tsonga was beaten 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-7 by Djokovic and although he reached the semi-final of a major on five further occasions, he never managed to get himself back into a final.

Tsonga playing in a different generation might have won several of the game’s top titles, but playing alongside the big three in their pomp made life incredibly difficult for him as it did many other players.

Still, not many tennis stars can claim to have been compared to an icon like Ali and those words must have made Tsonga feeling like he could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.