Roger Federer reveals why Novak Djokovic’s personality led to him receiving heavy criticism

Roger Federer has shed light on how he received a lot of heavy criticism as a result of Novak Djokovic’s arrival as a contender.

The Swiss legend believes Djokovic ‘s “strong personality” and desire to “win at all costs” put his own on-court attitude under the microscope and led to questions over his “fight.”

Federer was speaking in ‘Federer: Twelve Final Days’, a documentary that was released on Amazon Prime Video on June 20.

The documentary delves into the last 12 days of the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s incredible career, which came to an end in September 2022 at the Laver Cup.

The former world No 1 teamed up with fellow great Rafael Nadal in doubles for his final match at the Laver Cup in London, having played his last singles match at Wimbledon in 2021.

Federer shared an enthralling and intense rivalry with Djokovic, who defeated him more times than any other player. The Serbian icon compiled a 27-23 record against Federer from the pair’s 50 encounters between 2006 and 2020.

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Federer feels his fans did not take to Djokovic because of his personality and grit, but he also argued he was scrutinised for lacking the same qualities as the Serbian.

“The Federer fans, in the beginning, didn’t really like him (Djokovic) because they just thought, ‘Well, Roger’s, like, a bit more easy, you know, he does it with ease’,” the 42-year-old said in the documentary.

“Then Novak came in with his strong personality and that unbelievable grit, and wanting to win at all costs. I know that this was something and I was criticised a lot heavily.

“Why wouldn’t I fight more when losing? I didn’t quite understand what that meant. Do I have to grunt? Do I have to sweat more? Do I have to shout more? Do I have to be more aggressive towards my opponents? What is it?

“I tried, but it was all an act. I’m not like that. It’s not my personality. For some of the players, it’s maybe easier to have that, it’s, like, more ingrained in their DNA.”

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