Former world number one John McEnroe believes that Serbia’s legendary tennis star Novak Djokovic has not received fair treatment from the fans in his rivals with Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Switzerland’s Roger Federer. All three are regarded as the greatest players in the history
of men’s tennis in the singles category. Because of their success on the court, they are renowned as the ‘Big Three’ in men’s tennis.
Federer and Nadal started their rivalry much earlier than Djokovic's arrival. The Serb, however, is now the most successful player in
the history of men’s tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 24 Grand Slam
titles. McEnroe, who is also a former world number one and has now
become a commentator, was recently quoted in a report where he highlighted how
Djokovic did not receive fair treatment from the fans.
“Novak has not only equalled them [Federer and Nadal] but
surpassed them in overall achievements, which seemed impossible,” he said. “Both
of those guys, Rafa and Roger, they are total class acts. They are loved and
respected around the world. Novak gets the unfair treatment. He’s the villain,
the bad guy. I guess you need a good guy and a bad guy in a way. It can help
the sport when you have rivalries like that. I think it’s been unfair,
honestly, because he is great for the game. On and off the court.”
Federer retired from professional tennis in 2022 after struggling with fitness concerns. He finished his career with 20 Grand Slam titles.
He was the first player in men’s tennis in the singles category to win more
than 15 major titles. He was also the first to reason the tally of 20 Grand
Slams in men’s tennis.
On the other hand, Nadal has already announced that the 2024
season will be his last at the highest level after consistent struggle with
fitness concerns. The 37-year-old has won 22 Grand Slams in his illustrious
career. Djokovic is currently spending time on the sidelines as he is
recovering from a knee injury sustained during the French Open which forced him
to withdraw just before the start of the quarterfinal against Norway’s Casper
Ruud.
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