‘Djokovic will always be the villain’ – former pro insists Serbian will never silence his critics
Novak Djokovic shirks at the suggestion that he is the ‘bad guy’ in the golden era of tennis, but now a former professional player has insisted he will never lose that tag.
Djokovic clashed with fans at Wimbledon this year as they continued to celebrate his missed shots and struggled to toast his moments of magic.
That was nothing new for the Serbian superstar, who has battled negativity from spectators throughout his legendary career, as he has often been cast as the player the fans cheer against.
New world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz is the latest player to earn the love of the fans in his matches against Djokovic and former professional player Nicolas Pereira suspects that position will not change.
With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the fans’ favorites in the most golden era of the game, Pereira told claytenis.com that Djokovic is destined to lose the popularity battle.
“Djokovic will always be the villain of the movie,” said Pereira, who had wins over Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker on his record when those two greats of the game were at the peak of their powers.
“With two superheroes like Federer and Nadal there is simply no room for a third, and even less if he comes from behind to surpass them in number of Grand Slams and numbers of all kinds.
“The crowd in London is as rigid and puritanical as it gets. Certainly, the breaking of the racket against the net post does not coexist much with the idea of tennis on that court, but Djokovic is what he is.
“He is a warrior, a great soldier. If he were to take on the role of the villain, I think he would win a lot more. He wants to be liked and loved. A lot of people are on his side, he certainly has a lot of followers and lovers. I think in time, they’re going to give him his due.
“He’s like an Ivan Lendl, if you can compare him, another legend who dominated an era. You have to enjoy him with the good, the bad and the ugly. He always gives his all.”
He was also asked to give his verdict on the GOAT debate and suggested the final verdict on who will be remembered as the greatest player of them all has yet to be decided.
“I see three to five clear chances for Djokovic to win more Grand Slams,” he stated.
“We have to see how Rafa comes back. I see it on an individual basis and the numbers don’t lie with Djokovic.
“For me, Federer means the massification of tennis, what everyone idealizes in a tennis player; the professionalism and respect towards the rivals and the game in Nadal is exceptional.
“And what Djokovic did in an era with two giants, managing to surpass their records is something that would never have been thought. With a general view, I see it as a privilege for all of us. I don’t see the need to pick one, but let people talk. The more people talk about tennis, the better.”
The debate over the greatest of all-time will run and run, but it seems clear now that Djokovic’s hopes of winning over negativity from the fans may be an impossible battle for him to win.
