Tsonga reveals: Djokovic wanted to be like Federer and Nadal © Getty Images Sport/Clive Brunskill
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, former world number 5, spoke openly about Novak Djokovic’s development in a podcast. According to Tsonga, Djokovic went through a phase where he didn’t want to be himself, but tried to emulate Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal.
“He had a time when he didn’t want to be himself. “He wanted to be Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal when maybe he should be himself all the time,” the Frenchman explained on the “Generation Do It Yourself” podcast.
Djokovic’s transformation, Tsonga said, was a process that ultimately led him to embrace his own identity. “I think today he’s being himself. And even though it’s divisive, it’s appreciated by a lot of people because he’s being completely honest now,” Tsonga added.
Djokovic, said the Frenchman, does things not to be appreciated, but because he thinks they are right.
Djokovic’s influence and successes
The extraordinary achievements and rivalries of the ‘Big Three’ – Djokovic, Nadal and Federer – mark a golden era in tennis.
Djokovic and Nadal have faced each other a record 59 times between 2006 and 2022, with Djokovic winning 30-29. The Serb won 27 of the 50 duels against Federer. Djokovic, who has now won a record 24 Grand Slam titles, ended the year as world number one for the eighth time in his career.
Tsonga suggested that Djokovic should have embraced his true character sooner.
“He wanted to distance himself from this warrior image that he has because he is Serbian and experienced difficult things in his childhood.
He is a warrior and should have embraced this from the start. I think he would have been loved for that,” Tsonga said.
Novak Djokovic’s journey to self-acceptance and authenticity is a remarkable part of his career.
As he continues to dominate the tennis world, it is these glimpses into his personal development that mark him as one of the most fascinating players of his generation.
2023-12-19 20:02:54
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