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Started By
Message
Novak Djokovic on Federer and Nadal.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 12:50 pm
Posted on 6/16/25 at 12:50 pm
quote:
Novak Djokovic says he struggled with not being as loved as his two greatest rivals, Federer and Nadal.
“I acted and still felt like an unwanted child. I asked myself why that was. It hurt me. Then I thought the fans would accept me if I acted differently. But that wasn't the case either.
“I was never as loved as Federer and Nadal because I wasn't supposed to be there. I was the little guy, the third guy who came along and said, 'I'm going to be number one.' Many people didn't like that.
“Just because someone is my biggest rival doesn't mean I wish them harm, hate them, or want to do anything else on the court to defeat them. We fought for the win, and the better player won. I've always respected both him and Federer; I've never said a single bad word about them and never will. I looked up to them and still do.
“But I've always gotten along better with Nadal.”
This post was edited on 6/16/25 at 12:51 pm
11
Posted on 6/16/25 at 12:51 pm to OliverQueen81
Dont care. Won majors, made money, had sex
Posted on 6/16/25 at 12:52 pm to Cosmo
IMHO He is Da Goat.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 1:21 pm to OliverQueen81
quote:
“I was never as loved as Federer and Nadal because I wasn't supposed to be there. I was the little guy, the third guy who came along and said, 'I'm going to be number one.' Many people didn't like that.
quote:
Then I thought the fans would accept me if I acted differently. But that wasn't the case either.
Why doesn't he just say he had a bat attitude for the first 5 years on tour and that tainted a majority of fans. It obvious to any tennis fan he got much more love the later in his career when he stopped acting like an arse, but at that point many people were either Nadal or Roger fans and simply grew to tolerate Novak.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 1:29 pm to barry
To me, part of it was that Federer started turning into a bit of a prick when Rafa and Djoker got close to his Slam total. Once they passed him, the press kind of felt sorry for him. There are sports douches out there that still think he is tbe GOAT.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 1:57 pm to A12 Oxcart
Here's fed just incredulous and arrogant af about Novak hitting a return winner, saving match point and beating him in 2011
fed has always been the prick but his 'grace and style' have given him tons of leeway when it comes to disrespecting other players, especially djokovic
This post was edited on 6/16/25 at 1:58 pm
Posted on 6/16/25 at 2:01 pm to The Egg
That's exactly what I was referring to.
What was Djokovic supposed to do, not try to win?
What was Djokovic supposed to do, not try to win?
Posted on 6/16/25 at 2:08 pm to OliverQueen81
quote:
I acted and still felt like an unwanted child. I asked myself why that was
He might be espousing truth not just insecurity.
He arguably was this Eras Lendl, albeit way more dominant but a third wheel party spoiler to Mac and Connors (Rafa, Fed) so to speak.
It felt that way in real time when he was usurping Nadal and Roger (the fans apparent GOAT, especially at Wimbledon like Borg), proper and gentlemanly.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 2:16 pm to The Egg
"he slaps one shot and the whole thing changes." "he just gets one lucky shot at the end and off we go."
This post was edited on 6/16/25 at 2:19 pm
Posted on 6/16/25 at 3:40 pm to The Egg
Fed: He got a lucky shot and the rest is history.
And they said Novak was an arrogant jerk.
And they said Novak was an arrogant jerk.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 3:41 pm to OliverQueen81
Its because of the bias against Serbia and his conservative and unrefined parents. Effete tennis liberals are nasty people. Then Djoker was finally going to have 4 years of dominance and the fans were finally going to be cheering for him the way he always wanted and the vaccine stuff happened and spoiled that.
This post was edited on 6/16/25 at 3:44 pm
Posted on 6/16/25 at 3:45 pm to OliverQueen81
His stance on the bullshite that was Covid elevated him to GOAT imo.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 4:12 pm to OliverQueen81
Nadal's likability has always been so much higher than the other two for me. His style, his passion, his personality off the court, etc.
But Joker was a complete douche bag early on in his career and most people never got over that.
But Joker was a complete douche bag early on in his career and most people never got over that.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 5:18 pm to CatfishJohn
quote:
Nadal's likability has always been so much higher than the other two for me.
Nadal is definitely likable, but he's had his moments as well.
quote:
But Joker was a complete douche bag early on in his career and most people never got over that.
Can you share some of those? I know he had some issues with injuries that some people deemed as fake, but what was he doing that caused him to be a douche?
Posted on 6/16/25 at 5:26 pm to The Egg
quote:
Here's fed just incredulous and arrogant af about Novak hitting a return winner, saving match point and beating him in 2011
fed has always been the prick but his 'grace and style' have given him tons of leeway when it comes to disrespecting other players, especially djokovic
Great post. The "gentleman" sure was salty
Novak wasn't liked because he was the 3rd wheel and he was arrogant. He certainly backed up his arrogance and those "lucky" shots right?
Posted on 6/16/25 at 7:29 pm to OliverQueen81
He is the unquestioned GOAT. Beat Nadal in their prime on clay multiple times. Smoked Fed in Slams head to head. Won more slams than anyone ever and did it in the toughest era ever and topped it off with an Olympic Gold. He’s the GOAT.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 8:02 pm to Geauxldninja
Unquestionably
Posted on 6/16/25 at 8:20 pm to OliverQueen81
Early in his career Djoker acted like a spoiled kid, and it was not just Federer that called him out, see Roddick press conference in 2008:
Roddick on Djokovic - bird flu
However, Djoker responded to all the criticism in the best way possible, worked and worked and became the incredible player that no one could hit it past. I may not like Djoker, but I recognize what an amazing player he is.
Roddick on Djokovic - bird flu
However, Djoker responded to all the criticism in the best way possible, worked and worked and became the incredible player that no one could hit it past. I may not like Djoker, but I recognize what an amazing player he is.
Posted on 6/16/25 at 8:22 pm to OliverQueen81
Djokovic is a machine and the GOAT
Posted on 6/16/25 at 8:36 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
He arguably was this Eras Lendl
I’m pretty sure Lendl was an actual robot.
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