Novak Djokovic was a late bloomer in comparison to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. While his fellow ‘Big 3’ stars were blossoming in the late 2000s, Novak hit his stride in the early 2010s.
However, while time waited for no one, it fast-forwarded for the Serb as he quickly came to terms with the intensity of his rivals and matched them with elegance. Much of his success against his rivals can be attributed to an intense coaching regimen and in fact, a coach recently explained how a secret recipe that Novak had helped him beat Roger and Rafael.
Djokovic’s difficult formula to beat Federer and Nadal
Juan Carlos Ferrero is a Spanish former world no. 1 tennis player who is currently the coach of Novak Djokovic’s rival Carlos Alcaraz. His pupil has faced Novak four times this year alone, with Alcaraz’s Wimbledon win over the Serb being a highlight for coach and player.
Ferrero explained how a ‘difficult’ formula enabled Novak Djokovic to be the greatest of all time, outdoing Federer and Nadal in the process. He opined that Djokovic’s statistical advantage over his rivals and the records he achieved alone guaranteed him a place in the upper echelons of the sport.
“You may like Rafa more, you may like Federer’s style more, but in terms of numbers the best in history is Novak,” Ferrero declared to Marca.
Ferrero opined that the secret formula was a holistic and strict regimen that Novak followed, which enabled him to delicately balance his personal and professional life.
“To be very good at something you have to excel a lot in certain things. Those who really want to become very, very good have to be there for [ages]. It is very difficult, today, to want to have a life parallel to training and professionalism, and to dedicate just enough to tennis. It has to be the other way around. Djokovic, in that, is the best,” he added.
Novak Djokovic is currently competing for a record seventh Nitto ATP Finals trophy when he takes on Jannik Sinner in the final on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Serb is displaying his gracious side as he caught up with a fan whose trip to Turin he had sponsored.
Novak Djokovic’s heartwarming gesture to fan
Lorenzo Petrini is a wheelchair-bound artist from Italy who recently had the moment of his lifetime when he was provided an all-expense-paid trip to Turin to catch Novak Djokovic’s game against Jannik Sinner in the group stage.
The two-day trip was sponsored by Novak himself, as the legend was smitten by Lorenzo’s artwork that displayed Novak playing tennis. The pair managed to meet up for a meet-and-greet session, where Lorenzo was given a signed T-shirt and a cap, among other goodies, by the Serb.
Lorenzo took to Instagram to share his delight and later claimed that he hadn’t missed a single Djokovic match in seven years. The gesture by Djokovic was a poignant one and displayed his acute awareness of his connection with fans and their lives despite being a busy professional.
Lorenzo was in the stands cheering on Novak as the Serb surprisingly slumped to a defeat against Sinner. It is yet to be known if the fan will attend the final between the two players, but his day was made by Novak Djokovic.
Novak will end the year as world no.1 for a record eighth year and 400 weeks in total and will strive to add another record to his tally by triumphing in Turin.
What are your opinions on Novak Djokovic’s success against his ‘Big 3’ rivals? Let us know in the comments section what you think about his heartwarming gesture.
