Latest news with #SlavenBilic
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Olympic gold in LA is Djokovic's new obsession
June 17 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic says that defending his Olympic title at LA 2028 - when he would be 41 years old - has become his primary motivation to continue competing, marking a significant shift in priorities for the 24-times Grand Slam champion. "The only thing that at this moment, professionally speaking, I have in my vision is the Olympics of 2028 in Los Angeles," Djokovic told former Croatia football international and manager Slaven Bilic in an interview published on "And playing for the national team and Grand Slams... but not even the Grand Slams, not as much as the Olympics." The 38-year-old Serbian's Paris 2024 victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the final completed his collection of every major accolade in tennis, including all four Grand Slam titles, the Davis Cup, ATP Finals and every Masters event -- a career "Golden Slam" that had eluded him until that point. If successful in Los Angeles, Djokovic -- currently ranked fifth in the world -- would join Britain's Andy Murray as the only players to defend an Olympic singles title.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Novak Djokovic reveals he felt like the 'unwanted child' in Big Three rivalry with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as he admits he was 'never as loved'
Novak Djokovic has said he felt like an 'unwanted child' when he came along to interrupt the dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal - and that of the two he always felt closer to the Spaniard. In an interview with former Croatia and West Ham football manager Slaven Bilic on the show Failures of Champions, Djokovic, 38, talked about his relationship with the other members of the Big Three, whose rivalries marked the sport's golden era. 'I was never as loved as Federer and Nadal because I shouldn't have been there,' said the 24-time Grand Slam champion. 'I was the little guy, the third guy who came along and said, 'I'm going to be number one'. Many people didn't like that.' By the time Djokovic began to exhibit signs of greatness at the start of the 2010s, most of tennis fandom had divided into Roger or Rafa camps. There was no room left for him. 'I just wanted to be better than them,' Djokovic said. 'I acted and still felt like an unwanted child. I asked myself why that was. It hurt me. Then I thought the fans would accept me if I behaved differently. But that wasn't the case either.' The 'acting differently' is likely a reference to something of a charm offensive Djokovic embarked upon around the middle of his career, symbolised by the gesture he made after victories, miming pushing his heart out to each corner of the stadium. 'I am a man with many mistakes, of course,' he added. 'Nevertheless, I have always tried to live with heart and good intentions and ultimately be myself.' On his relationship with Federer and Nadal, he said: '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 victory, and the better one won. 'I've always respected both him and Federer; 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.'
Telegraph
23-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Slaven Bilic: I left Saudi Arabia because I didn't get paid, but I'm a much better manager now
Slaven Bilic says he is 'a million times' a better manager for having worked in the Saudi Pro-League. Even if he quit for a reason that might come as something of a shock. 'I left because the club couldn't pay me,' Bilic says. 'I had done the pre-season and we had a great season last season. We finished seventh, just after the big clubs, and there was talk – talk of getting money, not getting money. We had done pre-season with just 14 players, half of them were kids from the academy. It was a bad situation.' Bilic was in charge of Al Fateh, which is not one of the big, well-resourced Saudi clubs where most of the huge influx of funding – led by the Public Investment Fund – is concentrated. There was no money, at that time, to invest in his team. 'Half the league was waiting and thinking 'How are we going to get the money?' I was meant to fly and they called me and said 'coach, we can't pay you. What are we going to do?' And then we made an agreement and that was it,' explains Bilic, who had a year left on his contract. He had done an exceptional job. Al Fateh were the best of the rest in the SPL, with its big stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, and while his own experience ended surprisingly, he is certain the league will be a success and not least because the kingdom has a football culture and will host the World Cup in 2034. 'It's only the beginning and I think eventually they are going to sort it out,' he says. Money was not the biggest challenge, however. Instead, it was perception. 'Every manager who goes there, like with China a few years ago, the reaction is 'oh, he's finished!' When [Rafael] Benítez wanted to come back from China [where he was coaching Dalian to take over at Everton in 2021] they were saying 'can he do it? But he's not a player. What did he lose, his legs? He gained,' Bilic says. 'The only question is whether you are hungry or not. What people don't realise is that for me as a manager it was a bigger challenge to manage in Saudi Arabia than in Europe. 'Basically you are improving as a coach when you are there. I am a better coach, a million times, than before Saudi. Million times. Because of all the issues you have to deal with. It's ridiculous when they think you can't do it. It helps you. I am better. New culture, new problems, everything.' But the same hunger. The 56-year-old has not worked since leaving Saudi last August – and certainly no one can accuse him of going there for the money – and while he has enjoyed being back in Croatia for an extended period for the first time in 12 years, building a new house in his home town of Split, he misses something: the stress. Stress? 'You need stress. Because if you are living with stress or drive or pressure – not in a negative way – for 20 years then a stressless life becomes stress to you,' Bilic says. 'I love to work.'
