Djokovic Admits He Tried to Be Someone Else During Federer & Nadal Era

Novak Djokovic was "the third guy" when he first broke into professional tennis. He had to fight for recognition while Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer dominated the sport.

Those two legends already had this perfect rivalry going. Then along comes this young Serbian player trying to crash their party.

Djokovic was the youngest of the three, so he joined the ATP Tour last. But here’s the thing – he’s now outlasted both of them and become the most successful.

Fighting for Acceptance

Looking back wasn’t easy for Djokovic, even though he’s got an incredible record now. He’s still not ready to hang up his racket, by the way.

Back in those early days, he desperately wanted fans to like him as much as they loved Nadal and Federer. So he tried to be someone he wasn’t.

At a recent interview at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Djokovic admitted he did certain things just to become more popular. Eventually, he realized that just wasn’t him.

"Life is a beautiful journey, and I think we all have our unique stories to tell, and we don’t need to copy anybody else. I’m talking like this because I went through my own experiences where I tried to be someone else when I was breaking through on the tour."

He tried really hard to be the likable guy. You might remember his famous player impersonations – they were pretty entertaining, actually.

"I tried to be a likable guy. I was doing impersonations, which, I think, they’re fun … I was always doing them. People were really kind of not accepting me as a third guy. The Federer and Nadal era was so strong in their rivalry, and there was no room for the third guy. But I made some room, I created some room. And it was amazing, the big three and the golden era that we created."

Creating His Own Space

The Federer-Nadal rivalry was so intense that fans didn’t really want anyone else interrupting it. But Djokovic forced his way in anyway.

He literally created space where there wasn’t any before.

What’s really interesting is how he felt when his two biggest rivals retired. It’s like part of his identity disappeared with them.

"I feel like when they retired, also part of me left. So, I had to kind of reinvent myself, find new inspirations. And the reason why I still keep on going is also to see how far I can push my own bar, setting my own path."

Still Going Strong at 38

Most athletes would be thinking about retirement at 38 years old. Not Djokovic.

He’s already got his sights set on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it.

He finally won Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics – something he’d been chasing his entire career. You’d think that would be enough, right?

Apparently not.

"I do want to keep on going. The LA Olympics 2028 is kind of a guiding star, but honestly, there is no limit. So, let’s see. You know what I mean? Let’s just keep going. I love hitting the tennis ball and I love competing. I was saying to the guys that I was talking to, the greats in football, that it’s really about passion and love, and as long as you really feel like you’re playing on a high level and your body holds on, why not?"

Love for the Game

What drives him now isn’t really about proving anything to anyone else. It’s just pure love for tennis.

He talked with some football legends who told him the same thing – as long as the passion’s there and your body can handle it, keep going.

"People love to talk and speculate about retirement, because, OK, people love to talk. But at the end of the day, I feel like I’m still contributing to the growth of tennis. That is a beautiful job."

People keep asking when he’ll retire. But Djokovic thinks he’s still helping tennis grow, and that feels like meaningful work to him.

The guy who once struggled to find his place as "the third guy" is now the last one standing – and he’s not done yet.