Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of being perceived as the lesser-loved figure among tennis’s famed “Big Three” despite a record-breaking career. In a heartfelt interview with Slaven Bilic on the Failures of Champions podcast, the 38-year-old opened up about feeling like the “unwanted child” during his rivalry with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic, who has secured an unprecedented 24 Grand Slam titles—more than Federer (20) and Nadal (22)—and holds a superior head-to-head record against both players, said he never received the same level of admiration.
“The two of them [Federer and Nadal] had already developed a rivalry before I came along because Nadal broke through a few years before me. They come from Switzerland, from Spain, so Western powers. There are these orientations and there are affiliations,” said the former World No.1. “I never achieved the same level of adoration as Federer and Nadal because, in a way, I wasn’t supposed to disrupt their narrative. I was the third man who boldly declared, ‘I’m going to be No. 1.’ Not everyone welcomed that.”
Reflecting on his public reception, Djokovic admitted, “I felt like the unwanted child in the trio. I often questioned why that was the case, and it was painful. I thought changing my demeanour might win them over, but that proved ineffective too.”
Djokovic, who recently won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, emphasised that his remarks did not reflect animosity towards Federer or Nadal. “Just because someone is my biggest rival, it doesn’t mean I wish them harm, hate them, or want to do anything else on the court to defeat them. We fought for the win, and the better player won. I’ve always respected both Federer and Nadal. I’ve never said a single bad word about them and never will. I looked up to them and still do.”
He noted that his relationship with Nadal had always been closer. “I’ve always gotten along better with Nadal,” Djokovic said. Offering his view of their styles, he added: “When we compare Federer, Nadal and me, Federer is the most talented, the most beautiful to watch, he moved so elegantly, so efficiently, while Nadal is the other contrast, the other extreme—physicality is maximum. And I’m somewhere in between, but more towards Nadal.”
Despite being a year younger than Nadal and five years younger than Federer, Djokovic rose to the top tier of tennis by 2011, steadily surpassing his contemporaries in nearly every statistical category. Between them, the trio has claimed 66 Grand Slam titles, with Djokovic leading the count.
Still, the 38-year-old reiterated that his confidence and ambition may have alienated some fans. “I was never as loved as Federer and Nadal because I wasn’t supposed to be there. 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,” he 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 acted differently. But that wasn’t the case either,” Djokovic added.
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