PARIS_NP0 —_PUN One_CRD of_PRF them_PNP focuses_VVZ on_PRP numbers_NN2 ,_PUN hoping_VVG they_PNP will_VM0 produce_VVI the_AT0 validation_NN1 he_PNP has_VHZ always_AV0 craved_VVN ._SENT Another_DT0 one_PNI has_VHZ come_VVN to_TO0 play_VVI on_PRP the_AT0 court_NN1 that_CJT turns_VVZ him_PNP into_PRP an_AT0 apotheosis_NN1 of_PRF his_DPS sport_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC to_TO0 protect_VVI this_DT0 place_NN1 as_PRP his_DPS personal_AJ0 kingdom_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 third_ORD yearns_VVZ for_PRP whatever_DTQ there_EX0 is_VBZ left_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC prepares_VVZ for_PRP what_DTQ comes_VVZ next_ORD ._SENT The_AT0 Big_AJ0 Three_CRD on_PRP the_AT0 men_NN2 's_POS side_NN1 of_PRF tennis_NN1 —_PUN Novak_NP0 Djokovic_NP0 ,_PUN Rafael_NP0 Nadal_NP0 and_CJC Roger_NP0 Federer_NP0 —_PUN are_VBB playing_VVG in_PRP a_AT0 Grand_AJ0 Slam_NN1 event_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 first_ORD time_NN1 in_PRP 18_CRD months_NN2 ._SENT Through_PRP a_AT0 quirk_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 sport_NN1 's_POS seeding_AJ0 system_NN1 ,_PUN they_PNP are_VBB all_DT0 in_PRP the_AT0 same_DT0 half_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 draw_NN1 ._SENT Djokovic_NP0 could_VM0 face_VVI Federer_NN1 in_PRP a_AT0 quarterfinal_AJ0 and_CJC Nadal_NP0 in_PRP a_AT0 semifinal_AJ0 ._SENT They_PNP are_VBB not_XX0 getting_VVG any_DT0 younger_AJC ._SENT Djokovic_NP0 and_CJC Nadal_NP0 are_VBB 34_CRD and_CJC Federer_NP0 ,_PUN at_PRP 39_CRD ,_PUN is_VBZ sputtering_VVG through_PRP his_DPS comeback_NN1 from_PRP knee_NN1 surgery_NN1 ._SENT There_EX0 may_VM0 only_AV0 be_VBI a_AT0 few_DT0 more_AV0 Slams_VVZ like_PRP this_DT0 one_PNI ._SENT For_PRP years_NN2 ,_PUN they_PNP have_VHB been_VBN blessed_VVN with_PRP ethereal_AJ0 tennis_NN1 gifts_NN2 ,_PUN so_AV0 formidable_AJ0 for_PRP so_AV0 long_AJ0 that_CJT opponents_NN2 can_VM0 feel_VVI that_CJT they_PNP are_VBB down_PRP a_AT0 set_NN1 even_AV0 before_PRP the_AT0 first_ORD point_NN1 is_VBZ played_VVN ._SENT It_PNP has_VHZ been_VBN hard_AJ0 for_PRP slighter_AJC players_NN2 to_TO0 imagine_VVI beating_VVG them_PNP ,_PUN let_VVB alone_AV0 actually_AV0 doing_VDG so_AV0 ._SENT They_PNP still_AV0 love_VVB to_TO0 compete_VVI ,_PUN really_AV0 love_VVB to_TO0 win_VVI (_PUL though_CJS Federer_NP0 has_VHZ won_VVN just_AV0 once_AV0 all_DT0 year_NN1 )_PUR ,_PUN and_CJC embrace_VVB the_AT0 global_AJ0 celebrity_NN1 that_CJT comes_VVZ with_PRP being_VBG a_AT0 tennis_NN1 superstar_NN1 ._SENT Any_DT0 debate_NN1 about_PRP who_PNQ will_VM0 end_VVI his_DPS career_NN1 with_PRP the_AT0 most_AV0 Grand_AJ0 Slam_NN1 singles_NN2 titles_NN2 and_CJC have_VHB a_AT0 rightful_AJ0 claim_NN1 to_PRP being_VBG the_AT0 greatest_AJS quickly_AV0 becomes_VVZ reductive_AJ0 ._SENT They_PNP diverge_VVB dramatically_AV0 ,_PUN however_AV0 ,_PUN when_CJS the_AT0 conversation_NN1 shifts_NN2 to_PRP what_DTQ drives_VVZ each_DT0 of_PRF them_PNP to_TO0 continue_VVI playing_VVG long_AV0 after_CJS they_PNP have_VHB made_VVN hundreds_CRD of_PRF millions_CRD of_PRF dollars_NN2 and_CJC solidified_VVD their_DPS reputations_NN2 for_PRP history_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC these_DT0 thirty-somethings_NN2 are_VBB well_AV0 past_PRP the_AT0 sell-by_AJ0 date_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 great_AJ0 players_NN2 of_PRF every_AT0 era_NN1 that_CJT preceded_VVD them_PNP ._SENT But_CJC at_PRP this_DT0 singular_AJ0 moment_NN1 in_PRP their_DPS careers_NN2 ,_PUN with_PRP Federer_NP0 and_CJC Nadal_NP0 tied_VVD at_PRP 20_CRD Grand_AJ0 Slam_NN1 wins_NN2 and_CJC Djokovic_AJ0 close_NN1 behind_AV0 with_PRP 18_CRD ,_PUN only_AV0 Djokovic_NP0 is_VBZ so_AV0 intently_AV0 focused_VVN on_PRP the_AT0 numbers_NN2 ._SENT Djokovic_NP0 ,_PUN who_PNQ just_AV0 celebrated_VVD his_DPS 34th_ORD birthday_NN1 and_CJC in_PRP the_AT0 eyes_NN2 of_PRF most_DT0 experts_NN2 is_VBZ the_AT0 most_AV0 likely_AJ0 to_TO0 finish_VVI on_PRP top_NN1 ,_PUN leaves_VVZ no_AT0 doubt_NN1 that_CJT the_AT0 chase_NN1 for_PRP scoreboard_NN1 supremacy_NN1 motivates_VVZ him_PNP ._SENT "_PUQ Whether_CJS I_PNP think_VVB about_PRP winning_VVG more_AV0 Slams_VVZ and_CJC breaking_VVG records_NN2 ,_PUN of_PRF course_NN1 ,_PUN of_PRF course_NN1 ,_PUN I_PNP do_VDB ,_PUN "_PUQ Djokovic_NP0 said_VVD in_PRP February_NP0 ,_PUN after_PRP beating_VVG Daniil_NP0 Medvedev_NP0 in_PRP the_AT0 Australian_AJ0 Open_AJ0 final_NN1 ._SENT 
