Novak Djokovic has confessed that he incredibly felt like the “unwanted child” in his rivalry with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. In a new interview that reveals the complexities of his feelings and his character in the tennis world, published in Failures of Champions, the 24-time Grand Slam winner acknowledged that he was never as loved as Federer and Nadal, although he had more titles of majors than them.
“I was the small one who came in and said, ‘I am going to be number one,’ and a lot of people weren’t happy with that,” Djokovic said. “I have never been as loved as Federer and Nadal. It hurt me.”
At present, 38 and at his career’s twilight, Djokovic indicated that this year’s French Open semi-final might be his final performance in Paris. After winning his first Slam in 2008, many still see him as the outsider among the Big Three era.
He has had many controversial moments—his 2020 US Open disqualification and a 2022 COVID-19 interview being just two examples—that have caused him to be an object of public criticism. “I’m a man with many faults, but I have always tried to have good intentions,” he said.
While the facts remain that, chilly rivalries still existed, Djokovic is quite adamant about the fact that he had a great deal of respect for both Federer and Nadal. “I have never said anything bad about them,” he further added. “But it was my nature to be with Nadal than with anyone else.”
