Former ATP doubles No. 1 Paul McNamee spoke of Novak Djokovic's personality and believes that some tennis fans uncharitably criticize him.
Djokovic, the current men's World No. 1, holds the record for the most weeks in that position and is statistically considered the greatest tennis player in history.
The numbers certainly don't lie. Djokovic leads all of his longtime rivals and tennis legends in terms of Grand Slams and Masters titles won, along with many other significant accomplishments.
Djokovic is also synonymous with being a mentality monster because of his remarkable mental strength when facing adversity. Yet for all of his impressive skillset, he had a difficult time commanding the respect and adulation of tennis fans.
The major reason is usually attributable to Djokovic's emergence as a global superstar at the height of the Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal rivalry. It's no secret that the pair enjoyed a duopoly that was perhaps never seen before in tennis when it came to fanfare and charisma.
In this sense, former Australian Open CEO McNamee expressed his appreciation of Djokovic and opined that he is highly respected among his peers. The 69-year-old explained that the Serbian has been vilified by a select group because they don't have any information about his persona.
"Djokovic is variously described as divisive and insincere. Of course, that’s from people who don’t know him. If you want the reality, ask the locker room. That’s where he is the MAN… highly respected and popular. So perhaps check with his peers?"
Djokovic is currently recovering from a recent incident that happened at the Italian Open when a metallic water bottle accidentally slipped from a fan's backpack and hit him on the head.
He was cleared to compete in his third-round match but lost to Alejandro Tabilo. Later, he shared his health status with the media, suggesting he might need to go for additional checkups.
0 Comments