© Getty Images/Ryan Pierse
Novak Djokovicthe Serbian tennis star, opened up about his relationship with his long-time rival in a recent interview Rand Federer spoken. Djokovic revealed that Federer did not appreciate the young Serbian’s behavior early in his career.
The relationship between the two appeared to be strained during their time on the tour, particularly in the years following Djokovic’s rise. This rivalry, one of the greatest in tennis, was marked by Djokovic’s 27 wins in their 50 meetings between 2006 and 2020 before Federer retired in 2022.
One of the earliest public disagreements occurred during a Davis Cup match in 2006 when Federer said: “I don’t trust his (Djokovic’s) injuries. I’m serious.
I think he’s a joke when it comes to his injuries.”
Djokovic’s self-confidence and respect
After his third-round victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the 2024 Australian Open, Djokovic was asked whether older players had criticized his behavior in his early professional years.
“That’s a good question. I know for sure that Federer didn’t like the way I behaved at the beginning. I think that didn’t suit him,” said the 36-year-old Djokovic. He admitted that he may not have been the favorite type of some top players as he openly stated his intention to be the best player in the world.
Despite his confidence, Djokovic emphasized that he never lost respect for his opponents: “Respect is something I was taught that must always be present no matter what.”
Motivation through criticism
Djokovic further explained that the opinions of players who didn’t like his behavior only drove him further.
“It motivated me even more. If I made a mistake, I would admit it and of course say that I made a mistake, raise my hand, apologize or whatever. But if the criticism came for no particular reason, I would just keep going in the direction I chose and that would be it.” In an interview with Jon Wertheim on “60 Minutes” last year, Djokovic spoke about his relationships with Federer and Rafael Nadal and revealed that he hopes it changes after his career.
“The greatest respect is always there, at least from my side. I would really like to [freundschaftlicher werden]. Personally, I would like that,” said Djokovic.
2024-01-19 21:38:57
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