Novak Djokovic has admitted he has “never been friends” with his ‘big three’ rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Between them, the trio dominated men’s tennis for the best part of two decades, capturing Grand Slam after Grand Slam in what was a golden era for the sport.
Federer arrived on the scene first, making a name for himself at Wimbledon in 2001 with an epic win over defending champion Pete Sampras, before Nadal broke through with his first Grand Slam at the 2005 French Open.
Federer and Nadal quickly forged a rivalry at the summit of the men’s game that captivated fans and attracted fresh interest from outside the sport.
It was the contrast of styles as much as anything else that made the match-up so compelling. Federer, with all his poise and grace, barely seemed to break a sweat while competing on the sport’s grandest stages, while Nadal was a force of nature who would scrap for everything in his quest for victory.
Then along came Djokovic. The Serbian was never able to resonate with the fans on the same level as his two greatest rivals, but he seemed to thrive in that role and use it as fuel for his own ambitions.
Djokovic ‘just trying to stay alive on court’ in ‘very challenging conditions’
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Djokovic sits above both Federer and Nadal for Grand Slam titles and is the only one of the three still competing, and while he acknowledges the impact they have had on his life, he says the nature of the rivalry made friendship “impossible.”
Speaking to Corriere Della Sera, Djokovic said: “Nadal is only a year older than me, we are both Geminis, at first we even went to dinner together, twice. But even with him, friendship is impossible.
“I have always respected and greatly admired him. Thanks to him and Federer, I grew up and became who I am.
“This will unite us forever, therefore I feel gratitude towards them. Nadal is a part of my life, in the last 15 years, I’ve seen more of him than my mum.
“We have never been friends. Between rivals, it is not possible, but we have never been enemies.
“I’ve always had respect for Federer, he was one of the greatest of all time. He had an extraordinary impact, but I’ve never been close to him.”
Novak Djokovic with Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray
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Djokovic continues to search for a 25th Grand Slam that would see him break the tie with Margaret Court for the most major titles of all time, but he has so far been thwarted by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz and Sinner have established themselves as the new dominant forces in the men’s game and are in the early throes of their own iconic rivalry.
Now 38 and coming towards the end of his career, Djokovic has increasingly found it difficult to match the top two players in the world physically, particularly in best-of-five-set encounters.
He has also started to struggle with niggling injuries that make Grand Slams that bit more gruelling. However, he has not yet given up hope of reprising his role as the chief antagonist in a fan-favourite rivalry.
“I can do only as much as I can do,” Djokovic said after being beaten by Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals.
“It will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of Sinner and Alcaraz in best-of-fives at Grand Slams.
Djokovic vows to ‘continue fighting’ after ‘tough’ Alcaraz defeat
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“I think I have a better chance in best-of-three, but best-of-five, it’s tough.
“I’m not giving up on Grand Slams in that regard. I’m going to continue fighting and trying to get to the finals and fight for another trophy at least.”
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