The legacy of the Big 3 in tennis far exceeds the sport. With his recent exploits, Novak Djokovic has found widespread acceptance as the GOAT, ahead of Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. Personalities outside tennis have also weighed in on the debate, and many have chosen the Serb.
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Not only as their pick for the greatest but many fans and athletes from other sports have also named Djokovic their inspiration. His fitness, longevity, mental strength, and competitiveness are just some aspects that other sportspersons often look up to. On that note, here are five athletes who chose Djokovic over his Big 3 rivals.
1. Ronnie O’Sullivan admires Novak Djokovic despite being compared to Federer
Snooker icon O’Sullivan’s documentary, ‘The Edge of Everything’, hit the screens recently. In the movie, a contemporary likened the Englishman to Federer, calling them ‘magical’.
O’Sullivan, however, stated while he enjoys each of the Big 3, Djokovic is his favourite player and labelled him the ‘king’. He believed sportspersons across all disciplines look up to the ATP World No.1. The seven-time world champion player in snooker revealed he wants to play his sport like Djokovic plays tennis.
2. Aaron Rodgers used the GOAT emoji for Djokovic
NFL quarterback Rodgers attended Djokovic’s Round of 16 match in the 2023 US Open. He clicked a photo of him getting ready to serve and posted it on Instagram, hailing the eventual champion. The New York Jets star revealed watching the ‘greatness’ of Djokovic was on his bucket list.
Rodgers also seemingly endorsed the 24-time Grand Slam winner’s anti-vaccination stand (via NY Post). Additionally, he posted a goat emoji, symbolising his pick for the GOAT debate in tennis.
3. Kobe Bryant chose Novak Djokovic despite receiving a gift from Roger Federer
Late NBA star Bryant outspokenly preferred Djokovic over Federer and Nadal. During the 2019 US Open, he was asked to pick between the legendary trio of tennis. He chose Nole without skipping a beat, saying they had a ‘long relationship’ (via Sportskeeda).
“Well, Novak’s my guy. We have a relationship. We’ve had a relationship for a long time.”
Bryant also revealed that Federer once sent him a tennis racquet after finding out he casually played the sport.
The much-loved American tragically passed away in January 2020. Djokovic has frequently spoken about how Bryant and his famed ‘Mamba Mentality’ inspired him and helped him during his struggles. After winning the 2023 US Open, his 24th Grand Slam, he gave a fitting tribute to the man he called his mentor. Djokovic wore a T-shirt with a photo of him and Bryant on the front with the caption ‘Mamba Forever’. On the back was the number 24, the basketball legend’s iconic jersey number.
4. Indian chess prodigy and world’s best chess player both choose Djokovic
17-year-old chess prodigy from India, Gukesh D, cited an iconic Djokovic vs. Federer match as inspiration. After becoming the youngest person to achieve and ELO rating of 2750, he said the Serb’s 2019 Wimbledon final victory against his great rival motivates him.
Djokovic saved two match points in an incredible display of resilience and never-give-up attitude against Federer. The former’s five-hour comeback win left a mark on Gukesh’s mind, who said he can never forget that match (via Hindustan Times). He idolises Djokovic and hopes to become mentally strong like him as a long journey lies ahead.
Magnus Carlsen, whose record Gukesh broke, is considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. He stated Djokovic is the greatest tennis player of all time in his opinion.
5. NBA star Luka Doncic has hailed Novak Djokovic as the GOAT multiple times
One of the most popular names in the NBA right now, Doncic believes Djokovic the the greatest tennis player of all time. When the latter won the 2023 Australian Open to level Nadal’s tally of Grand Slams, the Slovenian basketball player congratulated him. He posted a story on Instagram featuring his fellow European and three goat emojis.
Doncic repeated his confirmation of his GOAT pick a few months later, congratulating Djokovic in a similar fashion. He uploaded a story with an image of the World No.1 but this time, there were five goat emojis instead of three. He has also shared videos of him watching the tennis legend in action. The Dallas Mavericks star clearly prefers Djokovic as the GOAT of tennis.
