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Goran Ivanisevic believes his charge Novak Djokovic will never enjoy the same amount of support and adulation that Roger Federer receives. However, the Croat feels Djokovic is not too bothered by this as he uses the lack of support to his advantage.
Djokovic has never enjoyed the kind of support Federer has both on and off the court. In fact, the Serb has had to endure partisan crowds every time he has crossed swords against the Swiss great.
Recently, after his win over Denis Kudla at Wimbledon, Djokovic pointed out he plays most of his matches in front of a hostile crowd.
Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic, in a recent interview with Rick Broadbent of The Times, claimed those who do not support the Serb would "miss him" once he hangs up his boots.
The Croat admitted that Djokovic would never be as loved as Federer because the Swiss arrived on the scene long before the Serb. But in the same breath, Ivanisevic explained how the 19-time Slam champion uses the hostility of the crowd to spur himself to greater heights.
“I think they are going to miss him [when he eventually retires]," Ivanisevic said. "He is never going to have the love of Roger, but I don’t think he cares. Sometimes he needs people against him to feel a little push.
"He has fans, people love him, but they support Federer more because he came first," the former Wimbledon winner added. "But you have to appreciate what he does. The guy has won everything. The guy is fighting. They will miss him. They will say, ‘F***, we would like Djokovic to come back."
Ivanisevic further claimed people often only see the negatives associated with Djokovic and that the Serb's good deeds are almost never highlighted. The Croat likened Djokovic to Robin Hood, a fictional character best known for offering a helping hand to the underprivileged.
“Sometimes people only pick out the bad things he does,” Ivanisevic adds. “They don’t see the good he does in helping others. He is the person who is not afraid to speak out, the only tennis player who stands up for the other players. He is the Robin Hood of tennis.”
The biggest opponent to Novak Djokovic is himself: Goran Ivanisevic
Djokovic has dominated the sport like no other over the past decade. Very few opponents have managed to get the better of the Serb, especially in Grand Slams. However, at times, he has been his own worst enemy.
Ivanisevic believes Djokovic is his own biggest rival because of his never-ending quest for perfection.
"The biggest opponent to Novak is himself,” said Ivanisevic. “Sometimes he creates a problem. In my head a shot is OK but in his head it isn’t. He wants to be more perfect.”
Djokovic is on track to complete the Calendar Slam this year. He has already won the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and is the favorite to lift the remaining two Majors as well.
Ivanisevic claimed he had faith in Djokovic's ability to win the Calendar Slam well before he joined the Serb's coaching team.
“Seven years ago, I said Novak Djokovic was the only man who could win all four Slams in one year,” the Croat added. “Why? The guy has the best game for all surfaces and is so hungry to be better, better, better.”
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