“See These Guys More Than Family”: When Novak Djokovic Gave a Smart Answer on Friendship with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic is the oldest player in the men’s singles draw at the ATP Finals 2023 and he joked about getting reminded of the same prior to the start of the tournament. It is the first time in nearly 18 years that there is no Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal playing in the competition, while this is Djokovic’s 16th appearance in the tournament. A video of their 2019 interview taken from the Thames River in London on a boat ride is again going viral.

In 2019, ardent tennis lovers were delighted to see the ‘Big Three’ in action at the ATP Finals. It was also because Federer was still in contention to win big titles and in the top 5 of the rankings while Nadal and Djokovic locked horns by winning 2 Grand Slams each that year. Little did one know at the time that the 2019 ATP Finals would be the last time the trio featured together.

It was a rare instance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic being seated together on a round table facing each other. The interviewer touched upon many topics, which Federer used to show his typical sense of humor. Nadal was more frank in his answers, but Djokovic stole the show with one particular response of his.

When asked about the trio being friends off court, Novak Djokovic did not give a direct response as such. He claimed that Federer and Nadal are two players who he was around with in his life at that point, more than even his family. All of them laughed when he said that the three of them sitting together on the same table and having a good conversation, said a lot about their bond.

Famously, Djokovic also said in that interview that ‘All of us will stop or none of us will stop’ when asked about how long do the three of them expect to carry on in professional tennis.

When Novak Djokovic did not call Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal ‘friends’

In the video above, Novak Djokovic seemed to have contradicted himself in trying to get out of a tricky question. On multiple instances in the past, Djokovic has shown respect for Federer and Nadal due to the rivalries he had with the duo. However, he insisted that they are rivals and so off the court, he could not and was not friends with them. The Serbian superstar said the same thing about Andy Murray back in 2012 after losing to him at the Olympic Games in London.

In the same year, Novak Djokovic did not respond publicly to Roger Federer cheekily posting about him on Instagram at the Shanghai Masters, enjoying a gluten-free pizza named ‘Nole’ in the restaurant of the arena in which he was playing.

Although Novak Djokovic has a pleasant personality, his competitiveness is unmatched perhaps in the history of the game. Djokovic does not aim to please people, making it difficult to know who his friends truly are. Nadal is said to be a very reserved and private person especially off the court, who is focused on his tennis and family. While Federer seemingly developed more of humility and friendliness over the years, making him popular among his opponents, pundits, media and fans alike.