"Novak Djokovic wasn’t as loved because of his giant ego" - Fans accuse Serb of 'playing the victim' after Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal comparison

Fans were displeased with Novak Djokovic's claim of being the 'unwanted child' in comparison with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Some fans accused the Serb of 'playing the victim' while many others claimed his 'poor attitude' was a reason he was not as loved as the other tennis icons.

In a recent interview on 'Failures of Champions,' Djokovic opened up about feeling like "an unwanted child" throughout much of his tennis career.

"I acted and still felt like an unwanted child. I asked myself why that was. It hurt me. Then I thought the fans would accept me if I acted differently. But that wasn't the case either," he said.

His comments were posted on X and fans were unhappy with them.

"He wasn’t as loved because of his giant ego and unlikeable personality. and then all the antivax stuff came out. Hope this helps," one fan wrote.

"Nobody loves him because he whines about how nobody loves him," another fan wrote.

"Oh my god. Still playing the victim. Also, where is everyone saying 'HE DOESNT CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK'. Hes literally admitted it," a third fan wrote.

Here are some more fans expressing their displeasure with Djokovic's comments.

"Because you never came off as genuine. You always gave sneaky vibes," one fan wrote.

"It’s year 2050 and Djokovic will still be crying why Rafa Jr, Federer Jr, Alcaraz Jr and Sinner Jr are more loved than him. 🤡" another fan wrote.

"The reason he wasn't loved has nothing to do with that it has everything to do with the fact that he has a poor attitude. Or at least had a poor attitude. He was just not a friendly personable guy," yet another fan wrote.

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Novak Djokovic has a closer relationship with Rafael Nadal than Roger Federer

(R-L) Rafael Nadal with Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic at the French Open 2025 - Source: Getty

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, also called the 'Big 3,' defined an era in men’s tennis. They combined fierce competition with unmatched dominance. Collectively, they have won over 60 Grand Slam titles, with Djokovic (24) leading the count, followed by Nadal (22) and Federer (20).

While rivalries were fierce during their peak years, time softened their edges. Off-court, the trio developed deep mutual respect, which was on full display during Nadal’s emotional tribute at the 2025 French Open. Federer and Djokovic, along with Andy Murray, joined in honoring the Spaniard.

During the interview on 'Failures of Champions,' Djokovic revealed he was closer to Nadal than Federer.

"I've always respected both him and Federer; I've never said a single bad word about them and never will. I looked up to them and still do. But I've always gotten along better with Nadal."

In their careers, Djokovic and Nadal met 60 times with the Serb leading their head-to-head 31-29. Meanwhile, the Serb also led the head-to-head record against Federer 27-23