Bublik: 'Djokovic never shares his expertise with direct competitors'

That could be the reason why Nole struggles to build a closer relationship with Federer or Nadal, despite never considering them as rivals.

In a recent interview on the Russian podcast First&Red, Alexander Bublik attracted attention by revealing a special conversation with Novak Djokovic.

The incident took place in Monte Carlo when Bublik was eliminated early and faced serious trouble with his strings. The Kazakh player uses natural gut strings made from cow intestines — a type of string sensitive to weather changes and prone to affecting ball feel. “It was truly a nightmare. The strings react to everything: heat, cold, humidity… causing me to lose control,”Bublik shared.

While waiting in the players’ lounge, Bublik happened to see Djokovic sitting nearby and decided to seize this rare opportunity. “I said, ‘Novak, listen… what about the strings?’ And he started explaining in detail: testing this tension, that tension, checking on the practice court, how the ball feel changes… He went into every tiny detail.” According to the Kazakh player, Nole’s level of understanding surprised him due to the meticulous, expert-level analysis.

However, the exchange did not go unnoticed. Another player — whom Bublik described as “being on the same level as Djokovic” — witnessed the conversation and later approached him to ask exactly what was discussed. Bublik refused to disclose, considering it inappropriate. “Novak would never share these things with him because they are direct rivals. But for me, I’m not a threat to him.”

The 2025 season marked a significant breakthrough for Bublik with 4 ATP titles and a career-high ranking of world No. 11. Although he stated he is not competing directly against Djokovic, the 28-year-old believes that Djokovic’s honesty and generosity in sharing expertise motivate him to keep improving in the upcoming season.

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