Novak Djokovic breaks the silence on the “painful” experience of not being loved as Federer, Nadal: “I felt like an unwanted child” | Tennis news
For the first time in his illustrious career, the winner of the great home, Novak Djokovic, probably exposed his emotions when he opened so as not to be as loved as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. For the majority of his career, the Serbian was involved in an intense rivalry with both. The trio formed the “big” of tennis when they dominated the Grand Slam after the Grand Slam without letting anyone else enter the radar.
Although he won 24 Grand Chelem and having a positive head record against Federer and Nadal, the 38-year-old had to fight hostile crowds. The Serbian has now admitted not being admired as much as his two big rivals.
Djokovic (24) has more Grand Chelem than Nadal (22) and Federer (20). However, he continues to fight against a lack of support for the four major events – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
“I felt like the unwanted child of the trio. I often wondered why it was, and it was painful. I thought that changing my behavior could win them, but it was also ineffective,” said Djokovic in an interview with champions failure with Slave Bilic.
Read also: Djokovic does not know if he will play again at the French Open after a loss of semi-final
“The two had already developed a rivalry before my arrival because Nadal crossed a few years before me. They come from Switzerland, from Spain, so Western powers … There are these orientations, and there are affiliations,” he added.
‘Was not supposed to disrupt their story’
Djokovic also declared that he was not positively welcomed because Federer and Nadal are from Switzerland and Spain, and that the duo called on the Western world than him.
“I have never reached the same level of worship as Federer and Nadal because, in a way, I was not supposed to disturb their story. I was the third man who boldly said: “I’m going to be number one”. Everyone has not welcomed this, “said world n ° 5 Djokovic, which recently faced a defeat against Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the French Open.
Djokovic has also opened its doors to the Camaradria which he shares with Federer and Nadal, revealing that the rivalry has swung between frozen and friendly over the years.
“It is not because someone is my biggest rival that I wish him harm, that I hate them or that I want to do something else on the field to defeat them. We fought for the victory, and the best player won,” said Djokovic.
“I have always respected Federer and Nadal; I never said a single bad word about them and I will never do it. I have looked at them and I always do it. But I have always improved with Nadal,” he added.
