Djokovic 'Almost Mediocre' When Compared To Nadal and Federer Says Legendary Coach
NewsTuesday, 20 May 2025 at 14:30
Novak Djokovic's game was given a shocking assessment by one of the greatest tennis coaches on the Tour.
Djokovic is statistically the most successful tennis player of all time. He won 99 career titles on the ATP Tour, out of which 24 were Grand Slams. No man has ever managed to win 23 majors, let alone 24.
Two players who came very close to the Serbian were his two greatest rivals, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The Spaniard won 22 Grand Slam titles, while the Swiss Maestro has 20 majors to his name.
But even though Djokovic is the most successful of these three, his game is not based on flashy shots. The Serbian is incredibly solid, hard to hit through, and very consistent.
That type of game might not indicate a lot of success early on. In fact, Djokovic didn't win his second Grand Slam title until he was 23, which, again, didn't look like a legendary career early on, at least compared to Nadal and Federer.
But as time went on, Djokovic's game yielded its results, as he kept winning one Grand Slam title after another. Now, looking back, assessments of the Serbian's game seem ridiculous.
Looking back on Djokovic's still active career, Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached the likes of Serena Williams in his career, spoke to former WTA player Marion Bartoli on her podcast Bartoli Time.
According to the 54-year-old French coach, Djokovic's game, compared to Nadal and Federer, looks "mediocre," which, obviously, considering his achievements, looks as a ridiculous statement, and Mouratoglou knows it.
"When you look at Djokovic’s tennis at nineteen, at no point can you think he’s going to become what he is today. And even today, if you’re really observant, he’s a player compared to the other two, it’s terrible to say that, but he’s almost mediocre. He does everything very well, but he doesn’t really have any strong shots."
According to Mouratoglou, nothing in Djokovic's game made it seem that he could be successful. However, during his tennis career, the Serbian worked on every detail, which made him so incredibly solid.
"There was nothing in his tennis that would make people think he could become nearly half of what he became, but mentally his self-belief, his ambition, his attention to detail made him the greatest whole."
Djokovic will have a chance to further extend his legacy this year. The Serbian will be one of the top favorites at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open, even though he has yet to win a Grand Slam title since 2023.
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