Djokovic: 'Every time I step on court against Roger Federer it’s thrilling'

Novak Djokovic was undoubtedly the most consistent and successful player of the last decade, managing to break the dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and enter the GOAT race. While not enjoying the same popularity as the two eternal rivals, the world number 1 has managed to carve out a prominent place in the history of tennis, having scored 17 Grand Slam titles and being able to boast a favorable balance in head-to-head both with the Swiss than with the Spanish. From a strictly qualitative point of view, the matches between Federer and Djokovic were often memorable. Suffice it to mention the semifinal of Roland Garros 2011, the final of Wimbledon 2014, the two semifinals at the US Open (2010 and 2011) and finally the historic final of Wimbledon 2019, with the Serbian who canceled two match points to Federer by imposing himself at the tiebreak. of the fifth on Center Court. Thanks to the new pandemic-induced ranking system, the Belgrade veteran has an excellent shot at breaking the all-time record of weeks at the top of the ATP ranking (he'll just need to stay at number 1 until March 2021). In a recent interview for the ATP website, Nole spoke about his intense rivalry with Federer.

Djokovic on his rivalry with Roger Federer

“I’ve played so many thrilling matches with Roger Federer over the years,” Novak Djokovic said. “Every time I step on court against him it’s thrilling, it’s very exciting because it kind of exceeds that match. It goes beyond the sport.” Referring to their epic 2019 Wimbledon final, which the Serb won 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3), Djokovic said, “It would probably be [in the] top two, top three matches I’ve ever played, this final against Roger. Probably the best, most exciting, and most demanding – both physically and mentally and in every aspect – matches that I ever played.” The twenty-time Grand Slam champion has shared a video collage on Instagram and Twitter, with a message which answers his doubters as emphatically as he slayed his opponents on the court. Along with the post, which has snatches from some of his best moments in tennis, Federer left a short, but meaningful message, saying, “Excited for what’s to come”. Named ‘This is Tennis’, the global campaign aims at boosting players’ profiles, encourages larger representation in tournaments and makes for a better fan experience. Federer apart, the governing body of men’s tennis has also released videos of a raft of other stars, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2KtU7fo