Novak Djokovic United Cup press conference
Novak Djokovic is destined to be etched into tennis folklore as the greatest player of all time, but he has given up on his battle to win the affection of tennis fans around the world.
That’s the verdict of Sky Sports presenter Gigi Salmon, who believes the Serbian maestro is now content that his legacy has been cast in gold with or without the endorsement of his detractors.
Djokovic is about to start the defence of his Australian Open title in Melbourne, where he has always received huge support from a crowd that is always laced with thousands of Serbian fans at Rod Laver Arena.
Yet Djokovic continues to fight a losing battle with fans in a lot of locations, after he was jeered in Paris, at Wimbledon and in Turin and Malaga
Salmon believes the affection his great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal enjoyed during their careers makes it hard for Djokovic to earn widespread support, but she is convinced he has given up a losing fight to try to sway away from the negativity.
“Will he ever be loved like Federer and Nadal? No, but will he named as the GOAT of tennis? Yes,” Gigi told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview.
“He has just accepted that he is never going to be as popular as the others and he has accepted that and found a way to deal with it.
“He just came along at a time when Roger Federer was there and he was more popular around the world than a lot of players who played against him in their own country.
“Then Rafael Nadal was also incredibly popular and we were reminded how big Rafa was as his comeback meant we were not even talking about Carlos Alcaraz heading into the Australian Open.
“Then amid all of this, you have Djokovic, who is just phenomenal.
“I feel like he is being appreciated more now and while everything that happened during Covid didn’t help his image, what he has achieved since has been incredible.
“The way he is battling with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and is still at the top of his game has been amazing to see.
“I think that will always be there a little bit, but if I needed a player to play a set of tennis and win a set of tennis for my life, I’d pick Djokovic.”
Djokovic has insisted the abuse he gets from tennis fans is a source of inspiration, as he uses the criticism to fire his burners on court.
“They are doing me a favour. The more they cheer against me, the better for me,” he declared.
“They wake something in me that they perhaps don’t want to see – a winner.
“As a player, you want to have the majority of the crowd on your side. My wish is not to play in a hostile atmosphere.
“It turns out, though, that the crowd supports my opponent in most of the matches in my career. That’s my destiny and that’s all right.
“Sometimes I find it harder to accept it, sometimes I don’t understand the crowd’s reactions, but it’s their right. Sometimes, though, some people are more daring in what they’re saying from the stands – when it’s like that, they have to expect me to answer and react.
“It’s happened in the past, in the big tournaments around the world. It gives me extra fuel, and inspires me to play even better.”
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