Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal have formed one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history, pushing each other to new heights and redefining the sport in the process. But while Djokovic has surpassed both in Grand Slam titles, he hasn’t always earned the same level of admiration from fans.
Ahead of his Wimbledon debut, Alexander Zverev reflected on that reality and shared why he believes Djokovic doesn’t receive the same affection as his two greatest rivals.
“I think he gets a lot of undeserved hate,” Zverev told Tennis365 at an exclusive Adidas event. “Obviously, Roger and Rafa are probably two of the most loved athletes of all time, right? They’re probably both in the top 10 of the most-loved athletes of all time. And Novak was spoiling the party a lot for the fans. But you know, all I can say is Novak is genuinely a good guy”.
Federer kickstarted his era of dominance by capturing the 2003 US Open—his first of 20 Grand Slam titles—before Nadal entered the scene in 2005, winning a total of 22 Majors and beginning a fierce rivalry with the Swiss icon. Then came Djokovic, who clinched his first major in 2008 and has since gone on to win a record 24 Grand Slam titles, eclipsing both Federer and Nadal.
Rafael Nadal poses for a photo with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on Court Philippe-Chatrier. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Zverev praises Djokovic’s generosity
As Wimbledon approaches, Zverev shared a moment from a recent practice session with Djokovic—highlighting the Serbian star’s willingness to offer advice, even to a top rival.
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“Yesterday I practiced with him and I was asking him questions about my service and I was asking questions about the return and what he was focusing on,” Zverev said. “You might think he is five or six in the world and I’m No. 3 in the world and we might be competing at Wimbledon at some point, so he might not want to answer my questions”.
“But he is so generous and he took his time to answer and to give me suggestions. I’m not sure anybody else in the world will do that to a direct competitor of his,” he added. “He’s so generous with his answers. He actually takes his time and thinks about everything before he gives you an honest answer. I’m not sure anyone else in that world would do that”.
