For the first time in his remarkable career, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic opened up emotionally about feeling less adored than his longtime rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Throughout most of his journey, the Serbian superstar has shared a fierce and historic rivalry with the two legends.
Together, they formed tennis’s famed ‘Big Three,’ dominating the Grand Slam stage for years and leaving little room for others to shine.
Despite surpassing both Federer (20) and Nadal (22) in Grand Slam titles and holding a winning record against each, the 38-year-old Djokovic has often faced cold receptions and unsupportive crowds.
He has now acknowledged the emotional toll of not receiving the same level of affection and admiration as his fellow greats, even at the sport’s biggest stages — the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
“I felt like the unwanted child in the trio. I often questioned why that was the case, and it was painful. I thought changing my demeanour might win them over, but that proved ineffective too,” said Djokovic in a Failures of Champions interview with Slaven Bilic.
“The two of them had already developed a rivalry before I came along because Nadal broke through a few years before me. They come from Switzerland, from Spain, so Western powers… There are these orientations, and there are affiliations,” he added.
Djokovic went on to explain that part of the reason he hasn’t been embraced as warmly is because Federer and Nadal come from Switzerland and Spain — countries that resonate more with the Western world. As a result, the two naturally had a broader appeal in those regions compared to him.
“I never achieved the same level of adoration as Federer and Nadal because, in a way, I wasn’t supposed to disrupt their narrative. I was the third man who boldly declared, ‘I’m going to be number one.’ Not everyone welcomed that,” said the World No.5 Djokovic, who recently faced a defeat against Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the French Open.
Djokovic also spoke about his relationship with Federer and Nadal, noting that their rivalry has seen its ups and downs — at times marked by tension, and at other moments, by mutual respect and friendship.
“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,” Djokovic said.
“I’ve always respected both Federer and Nadal; 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,” he added.
