"Hungry like a teenager": Haas says Novak Djokovic at 36 compared to Boris Becker and Pete Sampras retiring at 30

Tommy Haas shared his opinion on Novak Djokovic and his continued desire to win compared to Boris Becker and Pete Sampras.

The former world No. 2 is now a tennis commentator and recently discussed the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

At 36 years old, Novak Djokovic has shown that despite his age, he still possesses the level to dominate the Tour and compete for every tournament he enters, winning three of the four Grand Slam events in the year.

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Tommy Haas believes what sets Djokovic apart from other legends like Boris Becker and Pete Sampras is his relentless drive to win, as if he were still a teenager. This contrasts with other former world No. 1 players who had retired by his age.

“People know how hard it is to get to the top of the world in this sport, especially now that good people are playing longer. Pete Sampras and Boris Becker retired at 30, but Djokovic at 36 is hungry like a teenager, that's his mentality,” he said.

“When he tells stories about how he grew up during the war and dreamed of giving his family a better life… you can't learn that, you either have it or you don't,” Haas added.

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Recently, Jimmy Connors also praised Djokovic for his achievements at an advanced age, adding to the words of Novak Djokovic's major rival, the 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.

"We're talking about a 36-year-old guy who's making the headlines. And you know I'm going to say it again. I like that. You know, he made a good statement. He says I'm staying around as long as these young guys don't want to beat me. I'm gonna stay and play and I don't blame him, because he is good," Connors said.

"I missed four and a half years of Grand Slams due to injury, this is the reality. But that's also sport. That's not why I'm better than Djokovic, because I played less. He had a physique and a way of playing that allowed him to compete more than me," Nadal said.

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