In the world of men’s tennis, few names are as illustrious as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. Collectively known as the ‘Big Three,’ they have dominated the landscape of Grand Slam titles with a staggering tally of 24, 22, and 20 titles respectively. Novak Djokovic recently shed light on his fiercest rival and the two crowning moments of his illustrious career.
The Serbian superstar has had intense rivalries with both Federer and Nadal, becoming the two most played matches in the Open Era of men’s tennis. Djokovic’s record stands at 31-29 against Nadal over a whopping 60 encounters and 27-23 against Federer from their 50 meetings.
Djokovic, at 37, is still going strong and recently participated in the Qatar Open ATP 500 tournament. Despite being knocked out in the first round by Matteo Berrettini, Djokovic remains undeterred. At a subsequent event in Doha, where he was representing as the Global Brand Ambassador for Qatar Airways, Djokovic was asked to name his toughest opponent. “You probably know the names Federer and Nadal,” Djokovic responded. “I would say Nadal would be the one that probably stands out as my biggest opponent and biggest rival. Yes.”
The former world No 1 also took a moment to reflect on his career highlights. Topping his list was the 2024 Olympic gold medal, which he described as the “highlight of my entire career.” Reliving his victories, he said, “So of course Grand Slams, first Grand Slam that I won in Wimbledon in 2011 because it was my dream tournament when I was young. But, I would say gold medal for my country last year would be probably the highlight of my entire career.”
In a profession where success is often fleeting, Djokovic emphasized the importance of moving forward. “The best moment is the next winning moment (laughs),” he said. “In tennis, you have to get used to turning the next page and focusing on the next task very quickly. We have tournaments happening more or less every week and it’s been a very successful but very intense 20-year period for me.”
Djokovic also took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, recounting his humble beginnings in Serbia. “I grew up in the mountains in my country and that’s where I actually started to play tennis when I was four or five years old,” he shared. “I saw a couple of tennis courts that were being made and I was helping the workers to make the tennis courts. So that’s how I fell in love with this beautiful sport.”
From helping with the construction of tennis courts in Serbia to becoming one of the most successful players in the history of the sport, Djokovic’s journey is nothing short of inspirational. As he continues to make waves in the world of tennis, fans and fellow players alike eagerly await his next victory.
