Djokovic: "They never wanted me like Federer and Nadal because I wasn't supposed to get there."

Novak Djokovic is still active at 38 and wants to continue until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics . The Serbian tennis player can boast of being the one with the most Grand Slam wins in history with 24 , he also has 100 titles and a gold medal won in Paris 2024 .

Nole isn't having his best time on the circuit. His last title came in Geneva , and he's seen himself fall at the first sign of success in several tournaments. Added to this, the new generation, led by Alcaraz and Sinner, is currently a step above him.

Djokovic 's peak form was seen during the era when Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were still active. The desire to be the best in history motivated all three. The rivalry between this trio will forever mark the sport, and the Serbian spoke about it in an interview with Failures of Champions .

Djokovic acknowledged that he felt like the odd man out in the rivalry between the Spaniard and the Swiss: " I was never as popular as Federer and Nadal because I didn't think I'd get there. I was the smallest, the odd man out. I said I would be number one, and a lot of people didn't like it," he explained.

This feeling was not pleasant for the Balkan: " I felt like an unwanted child . I asked myself why that was. That hurt me . Then I thought that the fans would accept me if I acted differently, but that was not the case," said Nole .

Despite the good relationship that can be perceived from the outside between the three tennis players, Djokovic did not deny that there was a rivalry , but he clarified that it was healthy: "Just because someone is my biggest rival doesn't mean that I wish them harm , that I hate them or that I would do anything to beat them on the court. We fight to win and the best tennis player wins."

Finally, he expressed his respect for the Spaniard and the Swiss: " I have always respected Nadal and Federer. I have never said a bad word about them and I never will. I admired them and I still do. But I have always gotten along better with Nadal ."