Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have gradually consolidated their dominance in world tennis. The two best tennis players of the moment take over from the mythical ‘Big Three’, the trident formed by Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic that has dominated the circuit since the beginning of this century.
The one that resists the passage of time the most and the best is the Serbian, however, seemed less sympathetic and recognition than Spanish and Swiss.
Federer talks about this in the documentary that Prime Video will premiere on June 20, where He admits he didn’t give Nole the respect he deserved at the beginning of his career.
“I played against him in Monte Carlo for the first time in 2006 and I walked off the court and thought, ‘Yeah, okay.’ Even though there are some expectations around him, In fact, I’m not entirely convinced. I don’t think I gave Novak the respect he deserved for his technical mistakes.Federer explained.
“I felt that Novak’s forehand grip was very strong and his backhand against me was not as fluid as it is today.. But then he resolved those things very well and became an incredible and monstrous player,” added the Swiss, who revealed what, for him, is the reason why Djokovic is not so loved by the fans.
“I think he broke the party of Rafa and Roger’s fans. There was a lot of love between Rafa and Roger there, so when Novak came in probably a lot of people said, ‘Look, we don’t need a third guy.’ We are happy with Roger and Rafa’” stated Federer.
“At first, Federer’s fans didn’t like him very much because they just thought, ‘Roger is a bit easier, he does it easily.’ Then Novak came in with his strong personality and incredible determination to win at all costs. I think Novak was also triggered by his relationship with the fans. I think the deep focus may have scared some people.”.
“I think they misunderstood a bit. I looked across the way and finally saw who it was. If I remove the game, who is it? What are your values? I know you care a lot about your family.” concluded the Swiss.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
