'It happened to Roger Federer, Nadal, and others, but no one...', says expert

The pandemic was the event that most affected last season (having generated effects that go far beyond the tennis circuit). If, on the other hand, one wants to dwell on an episode inherent to the playing field, the sensational disqualification occurred to Novak Djokovic during his round of 16 match at the US Open immediately comes to mind. The story is known to all having immediately made the rounds of the web: a shot from the Serbian accidentally hit a line judge and cost the elimination of the number 1 ATP. That incident remained in the mind of the 33-year-old from Belgrade for a long time, as he saw the real opportunity to put another Grand Slam title on the table and get closer to the record of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Nole redeemed himself from the Australians about a month and a half ago, where he beat the competition by taking home his 18th Major. Speaking as a guest on the television show 'B92 TV Dnevni Red', his father Srdjan reiterated firmly that his son did not receive fair treatment in Flushing Meadows.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic push each other to the limit

"I do not support what happened," Srdjan said. "It was an accident, a woman was beaten. It happened to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and others, but no one was disqualified like Novak. Not only do they not have respect for the best in the world, but the opposite." In that context, Novak Djokovic's father believes that if Roger Federer were to continue playing for five or six more years, the gap between the two would widen even further. "I would like him to play for another 5-6 years to make the difference in the mutual score even bigger," Srdjan Djokovic said. The 60-year-old replied in the negative, but he did point out that players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic cannot be on the best terms personally given that they are such fierce rivals on the court. "I don't notice (the animosity) anymore," Novak's father said. "The three of them are the best players in history, they pulled each other (forward). That's the only way to look at them. It's very difficult to be friends with someone with whom you fight for No. 1, for titles, for money." Roger has not played in a Grand Slam event since the Australian Open last season. He was forced to undergo two knee surgeries, which forced him to sit out the rest of the 2020 season. He returned on Tour at the ATP Doha Open 2021 but could only win one match, losing the next one. In some exciting news for tennis fans, however, he has confirmed that he will play the French Open this year. 

 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Om6f4y