Petkovic: Djokovic has always been the third party from the start, and now he has once again become the third party.

Recently, German dancer Petkovic mentioned tennis king Novak Djokovic on her personal show. However, her remarks sparked public controversy because she likened Djokovic to a "third party."

“His fate in tennis was to be third from the beginning, and for several years he became the world number one. Now, as his career approaches its end, he has once again become the third party.” This statement from the famous German player Petkovic instantly ignited a wave of public debate.

Of course, this statement is not entirely groundless. Looking back at Djokovic’s career, there indeed have been similar dramatic cycles—rising from the shadow of the Federer-Nadal dominance as a "challenger," to becoming the "achiever" with 24 Grand Slam titles, and now as a "gatekeeper" under the pressure from Alcaraz and Sinner. Thus, it is somewhat reasonable to refer to Djokovic as the "third party."

However, her remarks quickly stirred a polarized storm online. Supporters believe this reveals the harsh metabolic laws of competitive sports. “Alcaraz and Sinner are the new era's Federer and Nadal; Djokovic is merely returning to a familiar role,” wrote a Reddit user. “History is repeating itself, only the main characters have changed places.”

On the other hand, opponents condemned her for “desecrating a legend.” On a foreign media website, tennis columnist Ben Rothenberg retaliated on social media: “A 24-time Grand Slam champion will never be a ‘third party’; the data doesn’t lie.” Serbian fans were outraged, flooding Djokovic’s official website’s comment section with protests: “Has Petkovic forgotten who dominated men’s tennis in 2011? Such remarks are absurd!”

In fact, behind this controversy lies the harsh reality of Djokovic's long-standing exclusion from the mainstream tennis market. As stated in a New York Times article titled “Djokovic, I Misjudged You,” we need to reflect on the West's long-standing prejudice against him; Djokovic is not an outsider in the tennis realm. In response, a reader commented: “We admire Federer’s elegance, yet view Djokovic’s resilience as mechanical; we praise Nadal’s passion, but see Djokovic’s fighting spirit as obsession.”

Many people are offended by Petkovic’s comments, largely because they feel her words are too sensational and fail to give Djokovic a fair evaluation, instead mercilessly dismissing his achievements.

In a certain sense, Djokovic has indeed been experiencing a situation of “being excluded by the mainstream” and “not being recognized by the outside world.” As Petkovic once commented, “I hope Novak angers everyone, becoming the target of everyone’s wrath, and then he blows kisses to those people: I am going to win it all. Their belittlement is destined to be futile; Novak has already won it all.”

Petkovic expressed confidence in the Serbian player's future during the interview, stating, “He will use everything left in his 40-year-old body to compete for his 25th Grand Slam title and then leave. If he can win the Australian Open, I hope he puts down the microphone (retires).”

In fact, throughout Djokovic's career, he has been caught in a paradox: the higher his achievements, the harder it is to gain widespread affection. French player Tsonga once stated, “There was a time when he didn’t want to be himself; he wanted to be Federer or Nadal. But early on, imitating elegance actually overshadowed his true charm as the ‘Serbian warrior.’”

Is he a third party? Or the first person? This year’s US Open may provide the final answer to the Serbian player's career. Under the scorching heat of New York, can he break the curse of Sinner and Alcaraz's dominance in Grand Slam tournaments? We can only wait and see.（Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian）