Toughest sport in the world. No clock to run out. No timeouts to call. No subs to come in for you. No one to sit there and tell you what to do…This is as good as it gets guys 🎾
This is insane that a global pop icon @LMFAO is playing a pro tennis tournament. Quick check on UTR confirms he’s actually pretty good but still 3-4 pts under the rest of the guys. Can’t help but root for this guy though.
Djokovic says Roger Federer didn’t like the way he behaved, but he never lacked respect.
He also says he doesn’t mind Ben Shelton’s confidence, but there has to be a ‘non-visible line of acceptable behavior’
“When you first came on tour, you had a big personality & were very expressive. I'm wondering if there were ever any older players that made criticisms to you or gave you advice to do things that made you want to change your behavior?”
Novak: “That's a good question. I mean, I know certainly Federer didn't like the way I was behaving at the beginning. I think it didn't sit with him well. I don't know about the others. I guess I wasn't the favorite type of guy to some of the top guys because I was not afraid to say that I want to be the best player in the world. I was kind of - not kind of - I was confident. I felt like I have the game to back it up. I never, ever lacked respect. Whenever I start a match, before the match or finish the match, I would always greet the opponent, always acknowledge. Respect is something that I was taught that needs to be present regardless of what is happening. Obviously on the court a lot of things can happen in a kind of heat of a battle. It was very long time ago now, 20 years since I made my first debut I think on the professional tour. It's really hard to say who liked me more or less. I think I named one, so I don't know. I can't recall others.”
“Did you try to listen to them or ignore them & try to stay true to yourself?”
Novak: “To who?”
“Whoever was saying something negative to you.”
Novak: “It was fueling me even more. I mean, if I made a mistake, I would admit it and, of course, say I make a mistake, I raise my hand, I apologize or whatever. But if the criticism came with no particular reason I think, then I would just keep going the kind of direction that I chose, and that's it. I knew and I know today that you can't have everyone liking you, who you are, how you play, how you behave, what you talk about. It's normal. We're all different. We are all different preferences. As far as Shelton's level of confidence and coming out, I don't mind that actually at all. I think it's great. You got to believe. I'm all for that. I support 100% a young player coming out on the court, like Prizmic did the other night against me, and Shelton is doing coming out believing in his capabilities that he can challenge the best players in the world. I don't dislike that at all. But there is obviously some kind of line, non-visible line, of acceptable behavior I guess towards the other player. If a player steps over that line, then obviously it starts being annoying. That's when you react or you don't react, whatever. It just depends. But I'm all for young players showing confidence and speaking, always with respect, towards the older guys who are on the tour, but being confident in themselves & their tennis.”