'He Knows He's Not Gonna Be As Popular As Roger & Rafa': Stubbs On Djokovic's Number Chase

| by Sebastian Dahlman

Novak Djokovic is not the most popular tennis player in history even though he's likely the best, and according to former player Rennae Stubbs, he knows it.

Popularity is such a fickle thing because it's really hard to pinpoint why it happens. Some people are popular because they're controversial, while others are popular because they aren't. It's not something you can clearly define, even though, in the case of the Big Three, there are some popular theories.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are more beloved than Novak Djokovic worldwide, and it's rather well known. Stats say that Djokovic is the better player overall, so why is that the case? Well, in some ways, he was a disruptor.

We had a perfect rivalry brewing on the ATP Tour between two highly respected and beloved players, and then came Djokovic. A player who doesn't have as clean of an image, who prioritises authenticity over anything, and a player who dares to question.

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Fans didn't like that very much, and while his popularity grew and is still growing, some will never come around. It bothered Djokovic for a very long time, but he seems at peace with it now because, as Stubbs pointed out in her most recent podcast episode, he knows it will not change.

Djokovic's numbers are just incredible and no matter how or what… he’s very polarizing in a lot of ways to a lot of people, but for me, as a former pro and somebody who has watched this game for a really long time… You just have to marvel at his ability to just never quit and he’s relentless.

I think Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal] definitely personified wanting to win a lot but it’s obsessive to Novak and you can see it. He wants to put the numbers up because he knows he’s not gonna be as popular worldwide as Roger and Rafa.

Stubbs further pointed out that this deep desire to do well comes from wanting the numbers in his corner to be viewed as the best because he'll never be the most popular. He wants to be the undisputed GOAT, and he's on his way there.

I think I’m right in saying that, it’s just a fact. I think he wants to put the numbers up so much that ‘Yes they may be more popular than me but I’ll always be the greatest and I’ll always have the numbers over them’ and he doesn’t care and I admire him for that.

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