Novak Djokovic 'felt like unwanted child' compared to Federer, Nadal; admits to changing demeanour to win fans over

Time of India

17 hours ago

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the Spaniard's farewell ceremony at Roland Garros. (AP)
Novak Djokovic
has opened up about his complex journey as part of tennis's renowned 'Big 3' alongside
Roger Federer
and
Rafael Nadal
, revealing the emotional challenges he faced despite his remarkable achievements. In a recent Failures of Champions interview with Slaven Bilic, Djokovic discussed his position as the record holder of 24 Grand Slam titles, surpassing both Federer's 20 and Nadal's 22, while addressing the perceived lack of adoration from fans compared to his rivals.
"I am a man with many flaws, of course. Nevertheless, I have always tried to live with heart and good intentions and, ultimately, to be myself," Djokovic reflected on his tennis journey.
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The Serbian champion spoke candidly about feeling like an outsider in the celebrated trio.
"I felt like the unwanted child in the trio. I often questioned why that was the case, and it was painful," Djokovic admitted.
"I thought changing my demeanour might win them over, but that proved ineffective too."
Djokovic attributed part of the fan response to geographical and cultural factors, particularly when he emerged as a challenger to the established Federer-Nadal dynamic.
"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.
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There are these orientations and there are affiliations. 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," he explained.
Discussing the nature of his relationships with Federer and Nadal, Djokovic emphasised his respect for both competitors.
"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 remarked. "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."
The Serbian player offered his analysis of the distinct playing styles within the Big 3.
"When we compare Federer, Nadal and me - Federer is the most talented, the most beautiful to watch, he spent his energy the most efficiently, he moved so slowly, so elegantly, so efficiently, while Nadal is the other contrast, the other extreme. Physicality is maximum, and I'm somewhere in between, but more towards Nadal. Each of us had some of our own characteristics and as time went on, our rivalries complemented each other and strengthened.
"
Djokovic acknowledged the significant impact of these rivalries on his career development.
"We always say that through these rivalries, the three of us contributed to developing into the tennis players and people and competitors that we have become. I say without a doubt, the rivalry with those two had the most influence on my development, especially in the second part of my career," he concluded.
These revelations came following Djokovic's recent exit from the French Open in the semi-finals, where he was defeated by Jannik Sinner.