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'
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.'
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The Independent
40 minutes ago
- The Independent
Emma Raducanu's valiant Wimbledon defeat shows future is even brighter than the past
Emma Raducanu is back. That will be scant consolation as she tries to get over the immediate crushing disappointment of this straight-sets defeat to Aryna Sabalenka but should provide comfort when she looks back on her exploits at Wimbledon 2025 in the weeks to come. The shadow of that 2021 US Open triumph has loomed large for so long – her exploits as a 19-year-old in New York on those balmy late-summer evenings four years ago defining her. It was somehow the very best and worst thing that could have happened so early in her tennis career. The injuries, on-court struggles, lack of wins over top 10 opponents and off-court drama were all magnified as an inexperienced player subsequently tried to find her way as a pro. Yet she – and perhaps more pertinently those who watch and support her – have now definitively moved and can enjoy the next phase. The back injury that forced Raducanu's withdrawal from the Berlin Open and marred her build-up to this year's tournament at the All England Club was a forgotten irrelevance as she built on one of her finest performances over former champion Marketa Vondrousova in the previous round to give the best player in the world all she could handle in a bout of classic, late-night Wimbledon drama. 'I had to fight for every point like crazy,' admitted Sabalenka after a 7-6, 6-4 win in exactly two hours. 'She pushed me so hard.' Sabalenka is a force. Her power is unmatched in the women's game but you don't get to world No 1 and win three grand slams as she has done with a one-dimensional arsenal. She needed all of her exquisite drop shots and flicked winners to hold off an opponent who proved every bit her equal. This was probably the best display Raducanu has put in since that 2021 US Open run and while consistency is now the next challenge, this reminded everyone, even in defeat, that she has the ability of a top-five player. She impeccably controlled Sabalenka's power in a way few can, with deep groundstrokes and pace variations while firing off perfectly-placed winners of her own. 'I'm happy to see Emma healthy and I'm pretty sure that soon she's going to be back at the top of the game,' explained Sabalenka afterwards. The pair combined to produce a first set that may well end up being the best of this year's championship. A 74-minute instant classic that ebbed and flowed, full of classy shot-making and dogged grit concluded with Sabalenka edging a remarkable tiebreak 8-6. But Raducanu fought. Hard. She demonstrated resilience in the face of every setback, somehow staving off seven break points at 5-4 down in that first set during an epic 13-minute game to eventually secure the hold. She came agonisingly close to snatching the tiebreak, seeing a set point of her own slip by, and even once she had lost it, didn't wilt. She roared out of the blocks in the second set for a 4-1 lead, although she finally ran out juice as Sabalenka ground out five games in a row to book a fourth-round spot. The women's singles at Wimbledon has become the domain of the surprise winner in recent times. Yet now having seen off someone who knows a thing or two about being an unlikely grand slam champion herself, Sabalenka looks well set to buck that trend. With the five women immediately below her in the world rankings having already crashed out, can anyone stop her? Raducanu came close but it will take a monumental effort from someone else in the draw. This clash will live long in the memory of all those present. There is something special about Centre Court at the All England Club of an evening, with the sun slowly going down outside and the roof closed to send the noise bouncing into every nook and cranny. Throw in a British underdog valiantly raging against the riding tide and you've got a quintessential Wimbledon experience. The foundations of this iconic sporting church were shaking throughout as a raucous home crowd left no doubt about who they rooting for. 'Wow, what an atmosphere. My ears are still hurting,' laughed Sabalenka in her post-match courtside interview. This felt like the Raducanu who won the US Open back in 2021, or at least the one who so impressively beat former champion Vondrousova in the previous round, as she got the raucous support genuinely believing something special was possible. She fashioned three break points in the fifth game of the match and took the third thanks to a return at full stretch followed by a well-constructed point that ended with her opponent netting. Cue a deafening roar and crowd celebrations more akin to a semi-final than a first-set break in round three. However, Sabalenka soon began to settle in and reduce the error count. She pounced on some inaccurate Raducanu groundstrokes to earn a break back to love at 3-4 before moving within a game of the first set with the subsequent ruthless hold. Then that ludicrous 13-minute game as a timely ace, five unreturned serves and a missed backhand down the line somehow saved seven separate set points as the Brit ground out a monumental hold Raducanu overcame a nasty-looking slip at the net in the next to earn a break herself and, from looking like the first set had gone, Raducanu was suddenly serving for it. Yet the constantly shifting momentum would soon make another left turn. Sabalenka re-focussed after the loss of serve, won the first three points to move 0-40 ahead and withheld a mini fightback to seal the game on the third break point and send it to a tiebreak. The pair traded mini-breaks but were still locked at 5-5 when Sabalenka netted a forehand as Raducanu earned a set point. The world No 1 then proceeded to do world No 1 things as an audacious, gutsy drop-shot winner saved it in style and when she got another one herself, a put-away volley on the stretch sealed an 8-6 tiebreak win after 74 gruelling, heart-stopping minutes. It would have been understandable if Raducanu had wilted at this point – the disappointment of losing that first set being too much to bear. Instead, she stood tall and fought. The fourth game of the second set was supreme. She managed Sabalenka's power, floating back the grenades being fired at her and deservedly broke serve to 15. The Belarusian's decisive forehand miss was greeted with a defiant fist pump to her coaching box from the Brit. The work could immediately have been undone at 0-30 in the next game, yet she battled back for a crucial hold and at 4-1, the second set was at her mercy. But from there, it turned. A break point slipped by in the next, Sabalenka hit her straps and broke back before holding with ease and breaking again to serve for the match. One last gasp from Raducanu saved the first two match points but third time was a charm and Sabalenka can looked forward to a last-16 tie with Elise Mertens. But for the home crowd, this was Raducanu's day. The day she showed she can hang with the best and that it's time to look forward not back. The future might now prove to be more exciting than the past.
Metro
42 minutes ago
- Metro
Aryna Sabalenka makes Emma Raducanu prediction after enthralling Wimbledon clash
Aryna Sabalenka has tipped Britain's Emma Raducanu to return to the world top 10 after their 'enthralling battle' at Wimbledon on Friday night. World No.1 Sabalenka was pushed all the way but eventually won 7-6 6-4 to defeat the 2021 US Open champion on a packed and loud Centre Court. Raducanu produced some of the best tennis she's played all year but fell narrowly short to a player 39 places above her in the WTA rankings. Sabalenka was left full of praise for world No.40 Raducanu and believes it won't be long until the British No.1 makes her return to the top 10 after their third-round showdown at the All England Club. 'She [Raducanu] played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard,' three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka said on Centre Court. 'To get this win, I had to fight for every point like crazy. I'm super happy with the win of course. 🗣️ "Honestly guys, [Emma Raducanu] played incredible tennis… I'm pretty sure she'll be back in the top 10 soon."Classy from Aryna Sabalenka 👏 — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 4, 2025 'I'm super happy to see her healthy and back on track. I'm pretty sure that she will be back in the top 10 soon. 'Emma was playing incredible tennis once again. She was making me move a lot, serving well and playing great tennis from the baseline. 'I was just trying to stay focused and put as many balls as I could on her side. I just tried to put all of the pressure on her. 'What an atmosphere. My ears are still hurting, honestly. It was super loud! Every time you were cheering her, I was trying to tell myself to just pretend that you were just cheering for me. 'I had goosebumps honestly, so thank you for the atmosphere. 'I've had a lot of experience in the past, and especially recently, where I've just completely lost myself and I've not been able to play a point. 'Today I was just trying to keep telling myself to not make the same mistake. I just tried to stay calm and push myself to the limit.' Former British tennis player Naomi Cavaday, offering her reaction to the match on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: 'An enthralling battle. An incredibly high standard. 'Raducanu playing the best tennis we have seen from her all year, but the world number one was able to ride it out in the crucial stages. 'She was pushed, she was challenged, she was threatened, but she responded and came through two tight sets in two hours.' MORE: Carlos Alcaraz is through – but there's a new favourite to win Wimbledon MORE: Emma Raducanu knocked out – but Britain can still have a Wimbledon champion MORE: How an Andy Murray tactic has helped British tennis star's superb Wimbledon run
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Emma Raducanu fights hard but Aryna Sabalenka ends her Wimbledon dream
For a few glorious, fleeting moments late on Friday evening, as 15,000 spectators collectively lost their minds, something special was unfolding under the Centre Court roof. Not only was Emma Raducanu holding her own against Aryna Sabalenka, she was soaring. An hour into one of the most intense, fast-paced sets of her life, Raducanu arrived at set point against the best player in the world. But Sabalenka, the world No 1, has long grown accustomed to dealing with that massive target on her back, which so often spurs her opponents to perform far above their usual level. In the face of a grand slam champion playing some of her very best tennis, Sabalenka elevated her game to even greater heights in the decisive moments, crushing Raducanu's hopes of a statement win by closing out an intense, unforgettable tussle with a 7-6 (6), 6-4 win to reach the fourth round. After coming so close to truly disrupting such a special opponent, Raducanu's first thoughts will be of her painful disappointment after she was unable to take the many chances she brilliantly earned. Raducanu served for the first set at 6-5, then she held a set point at 6-5 in the tiebreak. In the second set, Raducanu then held a break point for a 5-1 second-set lead. But every time she established a lead, Sabalenka reeled her back in. Still, her career against the elite has largely been a series of disappointing performances bereft of confidence and quality. Here Raducanu rose to the occasion spectacularly at the urging of her home crowd, demonstrating the full capabilities of her well-rounded game, her improved serve and forehand, and her heart as she pushed Sabalenka hard for two hours. As Raducanu walked out on to Centre Court far later than expected on Friday evening, her eyes scanning all corners of the stadium, she steadied herself for one of the most significant occasions of her career. With the exception of her US Open triumph nearly four years ago, Raducanu has still not contested many matches with the emotional significance of facing the world No 1 at Wimbledon on home soil. Throughout this year, Raducanu has performed well against lower-ranked players, rebuilding her ranking by defeating opponents she is clearly superior to. The best players in the world, however, have usually laid Raducanu's weaknesses bare, particularly exposing her lack of firepower. From the beginning, Raducanu made it clear that she was ready, imposing maximum pressure on Sabalenka with her forehand aggression, offensive returning and her excellent serving. With the crowd erupting after every winning point from Raducanu, the constant pressure she imposed finally yielded the opening break. Even when Sabalenka predictably found her way, pulling the set back to 5-4, Raducanu elevated her game to greater heights. With the set seemingly slipping away, Raducanu made an incredible last stand on her serve 4-5. Despite how Sabalenka had taken control of the baseline, she found a way back. Almost every time she stared down a set point, Raducanu responded with a quality first or second serve. After facing seven set points, Raducanu pulled off an incredible service hold to level at 5-5. With the momentum guiding her forward and Centre Court in a state of ferment, Raducanu snatched a break to lead 6-5 in the set. Once again, Sabalenka rose to the occasion, immediately retrieving the break to force a first-set tie-break. At the end of the tie-break, with everything on the line, it seemed like Raducanu's efforts might finally be rewarded as Sabalenka botched an easy forehand drive volley and Raducanu arrived at 6-5. Instead Sabalenka demonstrated her greatness and her evolving game. After saving Raducanu's only set point with a delicate, inch-perfect drop shot, she swept forward to the net and closed out an unforgettable 75-minute first set with a drop-volley winner. At the end of such an intense, yet fruitless set of tennis, it would have been reasonable for Raducanu's intensity to drop considering her unfamiliarity with competing at this level. Instead, she was there for every point from the beginning of set two, serving well and smartly judging her moments to unleash her forehand. It was Raducanu who broke first for a 3-1 lead before generating a break point for a 5-1 lead. Once again, she was reeled back in by the world No 1, whose candidacy for a first Wimbledon title has only been strengthened by the mental fortitude she showed in front of a hostile crowd. Even in defeat, this can still represent a significant moment for Raducanu. Over the past four years, she has struggled badly with the pressure that followed such a shocking ascension, the incessant, bad-faith criticism has been painful to navigate and at times her own decision-making has only compounded her issues. This performance is a reflection of her positive work in recent months and the undeniable improvements to her game. Raducanu has finally shown that she is capable of matching the best players in the world. The next step is beating them.
