Zhang Depei: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are reshaping the tennis dressing room culture

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have undoubtedly shone among the stars of tennis history. Not only have they created numerous brilliant results on the field, but they have also subtly changed the culture of the ATP players' locker room. Zhang Depei, the 1989 French Open champion, has publicly stated that it is Federer, Nadal, and even Djokovic who have greatly improved the culture in the dressing room.

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic dominated tennis for more than two decades, winning 66 Grand Slam trophies and setting numerous records. The fierce rivalry between them is a classic, starting with Federer and Nadal forming a "duo pattern", followed by Djokovic's strong rise, and the three together form the "Big Three" of megatron tennis. The three legends all admit that it is the healthy competition between each other that inspires them to constantly break through themselves and reach higher peaks.

Despite the fierce competition on the field where they did their best to win, off the field they maintained a good personal relationship. Nadal and Federer often play together in exhibition matches, showing a deep friendship. Today, Djokovic is the only player in the 'Big Three' who is still active on the pitch, and he is also praised for his enthusiasm for helping other players, especially the fledgling newcomers.

Zhang Depei believes that this is the significant difference between the "Big Three" and their predecessors. As the record holder for the youngest men's Grand Slam title (17 years and 109 days after winning the French Open in 1989), Zhang Depei has a deep understanding of tennis in different eras. He pointed out that in the past, tennis was very competitive and there was little communication between players, but Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have completely changed that. In their view, the arena is a battlefield of hard work, and everyone will go all out; But off the court, they treat everyone with kindness and equality, and they can feel the respect and kindness of everyone from the world's No. 2 top player to the top 100 doubles players. This spirit has also influenced a new generation of players, perpetuating an atmosphere of respect and friendliness to this day.

Today's new generation of tennis representatives, Carlos Alcaraz and Yannick Sinner, have inherited this quality. The pair have made their mark in men's tennis over the past few years, sharing the last six Grand Slam titles. In this year's French Open final, they not only gave a wonderful duel, but also showed excellent sportsmanship, and they were able to accept controversial penalties calmly. Zhang Depei praised the two young players, saying that Alcaraz and Sinner are friendly and respectful to their peers, fans and younger generation, and that this is a very different kind of competition from the relative estrangement between players in the McEnroe era in the past. In the new generation of players, we see the perfect balance between fierce competition on the court and mutual respect off the court, and all of this is inseparable from the active shaping of tennis culture by predecessors such as Federer and Nadal.

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