John McEnroe is the primary to acknowledge that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have completely deserved to be so cherished and revered by followers however provides that he does not suppose the identical with regards to “the unfair remedy” that Novak Djokovic has been given.
On the courtroom, Djokovic managed to beat out his two largest rivals for the 2 largest data – the 37-year-old Serb is a document 24-time Grand Slam champion and he’s additionally the one with probably the most weeks on the world No. 1 spot. However whereas Djokovic was surpassing Federer and Nadal in document books, one factor by no means modified a lot – followers by no means stopped displaying excessive assist for Federer and Nadal whereas the Serb nonetheless offers with hostile crowds and boos.
EDITOR’S PICKS
“Rafa and Roger have legendary reputations, deservedly so. They’ve been unbelievable. Novak has not solely equaled them however surpassed them in total achievements, which appeared inconceivable,” McEnroe advised British newspaper i.
“Each of these guys, Rafa and Roger, they’re complete class acts. They’re cherished and revered around the globe. Novak will get the unfair remedy. He’s the villain, the dangerous man.
“I assume you want man and a nasty man in a method. It may well assist the game when you have got rivalries like that. I believe it’s been unfair, actually, as a result of he’s nice for the sport, on and off the courtroom.”
McEnroe on Djokovic ‘turning lemons into lemonade’
McEnroe – who’s widely known as one of the fascinating tennis figures – has an concept of how Djokovic feels in sure conditions. Throughout his profession, McEnroe received seven Grand Slams however his fiery persona did not sit nicely with everybody.
Whereas McEnroe found out a technique to win, his seven Grand Slams are nonetheless distant from Djokovic’s 24. However the American tennis icon is joyful to see the 37-year-old utilizing hostile crowds as gasoline and being the one with the final snort.
“He’s been capable of do one thing that I wasn’t capable of do practically as nicely which is popping lemons into lemonade. When folks need to see the underdog or another person successful, he by some means makes use of that as gasoline to assist him. That’s an unbelievable high quality which you’ll’t underestimate,” McEnroe stated.
For the reason that pandemic, the sensation is that the criticism and scrutiny on Djokovic has by no means been greater. And in late 2023, Djokovic revealed that having the crowds towards him solely fuels him to win on the largest stage.
“The quantity of stress and stress is a lot greater if in case you have crowd towards you. Completely. However (snort) for many of my profession, it was principally hostile environments for me. I type of realized easy methods to thrive in that surroundings,” Djokovic stated on 60 Minutes in late 2023.
“And other people suppose that it’s really higher if, in the event that they don’t like me in order that it type of will get one of the best out of me by way of tennis. It did occur. However on the identical time, I really take pleasure in extra (snort) being in an surroundings the place, you realize, I’ve good, good assist.”
McEnroe on if he may work with Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray within the sales space
After an awesome tennis profession, 65-year-old McEnroe additionally discovered success working in tennis broadcast. Now that Federer is retired and Nadal and Murray nearing the tip as nicely, there are a lot of tennis followers who would like to see these greats giving a shot to the sales space.
Requested concerning the prospect of working with the Massive 4 within the sales space, McEnroe stated he would completely don’t have anything towards it.
“I’d welcome it. I wouldn’t thoughts working with them in the event that they had been doing it. I’d like to, it’d be enjoyable,” McEnroe stated.
“Andy’s obtained that dry humorousness. I don’t know him that nicely, however all the pieces I hear off the courtroom, he likes to be light-hearted and have enjoyable. It relies upon how he would strategy it however I’ve heard him a bit bit speak about some matches, and he clearly is aware of a sport inside out. He’d have clearly the perception of getting performed a whole lot of these gamers so from that standpoint, it will be fairly fascinating.
“However I don’t anticipate Roger doing tennis commentary. He’s obtained a whole lot of different issues occurring.”
Federer was fascinated by making his tennis broadcast throughout final 12 months’s Wimbledon however he finally did not do it after realizing that he wasn’t able to return to tennis in that function.
