Djokovic for Telegraf: How I became close with Federer and why I left the Red Star's match after 10 minutes (VIDEO)
The last few months were like a fairy tale for Novak - there was time to hang out with tennis colleagues, legends, and family
The tennis season, which is coming to an end, is actually the year of the return of Novak Djokovic to the place he belongs, to the top.
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Of course, we are not talking about mere statistics and 1st place on the ATP list, Nole is currently 3rd, but he has Wimbledon, the US open and at last Cincinnati behind him, the only masters tournament that was missing from his treasury of trophies, and he is now able to finally say - he has conquered it all!
Djokovic reached the stage in his career where he can perfectly balance between choosing a tournament and family obligations, in which he particularly enjoyed in the previous period.
That is why he spent more time in Belgrade than he usually would, and he returned from Chicago full of impressions, where he and Roger Federer were an inseparable tandem.
The people who love tennis were smiling at the sights of Djokovic's double with Federer, Roger's rush on Novak's match in singles, or consultations where the Swiss acted like a trainer when he "jumped in" to help. Djokovic spoke about that for Telegraf.
- All of this was a special experience, both on court and outside of it. I never had the chance to get so close to him, to spend this much time together, Federer and me, then Zverev, Dimitrov, all of us who were in the same team. This competition that allows you all to be in the same team, and he cared very much for this competition. This was my debut this year, Laver Cup started the last season, I have seen it and I think that double Nadar and Federer left the greatest impression on me. That was a unique opportunity for them to pair them up, this time, that was the case with me and Roger, something that I will remember - Djokovic remembers, to whom Federer was also a guest in the humanitarian action of his foundation.
- Our friendship has been strengthened, we always respected each other as colleagues, on the other side, the rivalry marked our careers, especially mine. In the past 10 years, we helped tennis become more popular, with Nadal. And nothing changes when it comes to my desire to win each time we meet.
The part of his champion speech on the US Open was dedicated to his greatest role model, Pete Sampras, who didn't attend the match in New York. He has reached his record in won Grand Slams.
- The messages were sent, but it is widely known that Pit was one of the idols while I was growing up, his victories on first or second Wimbledon was the first photo I had from the tennis court, that motivated me to become like him one day... It's like an expression, "fast forward", with 31 I managed to win the same number of Grand Slam titles like my role model from childhood.
- That is a phenomenal thing and feeling, I can't wait to see him personally. I had the chance to meet him in 2010, 2011, I know how happy I was and how fast my heart was racing, I was overjoyed that I could hit a few balls with him. It is different when you are there with the people who were your role models.
On the other side, Andre Agassi openly said that his generation couldn't do anything in a duel against Novak, Roger, and Rafa.
- It is ungrateful to talk about it, you and I are pretty young to remember the real extent of that tennis, Agassi, Sampras, and the time before them, I was four while I was watching their matches. Whenever the subject arises, who was my favorite, I really don't like talking about it, out of respect towards each generation that left a mark, from Laver, Connors, Lendl... All of them wrote the history of tennis.
When he made a small pause with the racket, football and basketball matches of Red Star were good for him, and he took his son Stefan to the hall "Aleksandar Nikolic", to his first game.
- Stefan is still small, I wanted to take him to the basketball game, however, it was too noisy, so we left after the first quarter.
- Of course, I watch Red Star, especially in the Champions League, I follow the basketball club as well, we can't forget about them because they made incredible results in Europe all of these years. Football team showed a lot, of course, fighting spirit, with a small budget, and we know that it determines the amount of success in football. They showed that it is possible, on the contrary of everybody's beliefs, I hope that I will have the opportunity to watch some game in Champions League live.
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(Telegraf.co.uk / B. Vinulovic)