Djokovic said frankly: I have never said a bad word about Nadal and Federer

Djokovic recently admitted that despite being rivals with Nadal and Federer on the court, he still maintains a good relationship with the two tennis legends. The Serbian star, who is no longer in direct competition with them and nearing the end of his career, has been honest about his approach to the duo in an interview.

Despite this, the 24-time Grand Slam champion still made it to the deep round of the French Open this year, finishing in the semi-finals. He also won the Geneva Open, his 100th career title.

Recalling his efforts to fit into "BIG3" at his peak, Djokovic spoke candidly with host Slavin Bilic on a talk show. He said that the confrontation between them has never affected the relationship off the court, and that he has never and will never speak ill of Federer and Nadal, because he has always had a deep respect for them, "I have always respected both of them, I have never said a bad word about them, and I will never say anything about them." I've always looked up to them, and I still do. ”

However, he added that he has a closer relationship with Nadal, "but I have always gotten along better with Nadal. He also talked about the isolation he felt in 'BIG3', in which Djokovic revealed that he has always been a little less popular with fans than Federer and Nadal, and that he once thought that if he changed his attitude, he might be able to get more people's affection, but that was not the case.

"What I showed, and what I really felt, was: like a child that no one wants. I asked myself why this was happening, and it hurt me. Then I thought, maybe if I had behaved differently, the fans would have accepted me. But it didn't turn out that way. He said.

He also added that he sometimes felt like he "shouldn't have been there" and that his climb to world number one was a "surprise" for Federer and Nadal fans. "I've never been as loved as Federer and Nadal because I wasn't supposed to be there. I'm the little guy who 'barged in' and said, 'I'm going to be number one in the world,' and a lot of people don't like that. He confessed.

For now, the Serbian star is on his way to his 25th Grand Slam title, with his sights set on Wimbledon.

And another giant, Federer, after attending Nadal's tribute ceremony, also shared his feelings about this tribute event, as well as the special moment of reunion with the "Big Four" of tennis again, "It's perfect! Seriously, give that commemorative plaque to Rafa and let him keep it forever – that's great. Although I was not as surprised as he was because I knew about the arrangement, I was really happy for him to see him so excited. ”

Federer also recalled the moment when he walked onto the Philippe Chartier Stadium with Djokovic and Murray, and revealed that he almost cried when he hugged Nadal, "For me, the most emotional moment was the moment when we walked up to him and walked into the court together. It seemed like it lasted for a long time, and the whole audience was watching us – it was a moment that meant so much to me, to Novak and to Andy. Especially when I hugged Rafa, I could feel that he was deeply moved by the ceremony. ”

On the eve of the Davis Cup final, Federer wrote to Nadal and posted it on social media, recalling their legendary rivalry that lasted for nearly 20 years. In the letter, he candidly paid tribute to his old rival and acknowledged the profound influence Nadal had on his career.

"Let's start with the most obvious thing: you beat me – many times, more than I beat you. You challenge me in a way that no one else can. On the red clay, it's like walking into your backyard. You're pushing me to do my best just to get my footing. Federer wrote in the letter.

The two have faced each other 40 times in their careers, with Nadal leading 24-16. But despite the fierce on-field confrontation, they have always maintained a friendly and respectful relationship. It is worth mentioning that at the farewell match of Federer at the 2022 Laver Cup, Nadal was also deeply touched and cried on the spot.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)