Novak Djokovic: What Djoker Must Accomplish to Be Considered Best Ever

Novak Djokovic has been on fire lately, and with a victory at the 2012 French Open, he will put himself in rarefied air.

A win at Roland Garros would give the 25-year-old Serbian the career Gland Slam, as well as victories in each of the last four Grand Slam tournaments. He would also move into a tie for 21st all time with six Grand Slam single titles, joining tennis legends Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, among others.

Unfortunately for Djokovic, as talented and driven as he is, he will never be known as the best tennis player ever.

That distinction will perhaps always belong to Roger Federer, who stands alone with his 16 (and counting) Grand Slam singles titles.

Federer also won five straight Wimbledon championships (2003-07), five straight US Open titles (2004-08) and held the world's No. 1 ranking for a ridiculous 237 straight weeks from 2004 to 2008.

In order to surpass Federer, Djokovic would not only have to duplicate those unbelievable achievements, but he'd have to add to them as well.

Djokovic has the misfortune (or fortune, depending on how you look at it) of playing immediately after Federer's unprecedented run of dominance. Federer was perhaps the most unstoppable athlete of all time at his peak, and no matter what he does, Djokovic will never be able to surpass him in legendary status.

If Djokovic ever equals or eclipses Federer's statistical accomplishments, then the debate can truly begin. But in the eyes of anyone who saw Federer at his height, Djokovic will never be able to climb higher than No. 2 on the list of all-time greats.