"I couldn’t win Slams because of Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal" - Novak Djokovic makes eye-opening remark on lacking 'the formula' to beat arch-rivals

Novak Djokovic has opened up about his struggles against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal early in his career. The Serb admitted that it took him time to figure out how to beat his two greatest competitors, which only intensified his desire to succeed.

With Federer retiring from professional tennis in 2022 and Nadal nearing his farewell at the 2024 Davis Cup, the Serb's legendary competition with his arch-rivals is coming to a close.

Djokovic triumphed in 31 of his 60 encounters against Nadal, while the 22-time Grand Slam champion enjoyed a 5-4 edge in their Major finals. Meanwhile, the World No. 4 holds a 27-23 lead in his head-to-head against Federer, including a 4-1 winning record in Grand Slam finals.

In a recent interview with La Nacion, Novak Djokovic shed light on how Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had profoundly influenced his growth and development as a player, taking pride in joining them in the legendary 'Big 3.'

"I see it as you describe it: as one of the biggest rivalries, without a doubt, in all of sport, and I am very proud and I feel totally honoured to be part of that group. They are older than me, Rafa by one year, and Roger by six. And they influenced my game and my development as a tennis player more than any other player"

The 37-year-old reflected on how he emerged as a strong Grand Slam contender after winning his maiden Major title at the 2008 Australian Open but endured a three-year drought until he triumphed at the Melbourne Slam in 2011.

Djokovic emphasized that Federer and Nadal prevented him from winning Slams during that period, admitting his struggle to find the "formula" that would allow him to break through their dominance.

"I became a candidate for the Grand Slams and started to be at the highest level of the professional standard when I won the Grand Slam in 2008. But the next one I won in 2011. It took me three years to win the second Grand Slam and I was number 3 in the world for those three years."

The Serb further added:

"I was also number 2 in 2009 and I was playing at a very high level, but I couldn’t get to win Grand Slams because of them two. They dominated everything. I didn’t have the formula to beat them," he added.

Novak Djokovic also acknowledged that those three challenging years were fundamental for his development, as the Swiss and the Spaniard's success made him "hungrier" to win. The 24-time Grand Slam champion admitted the need to break past the mental block to start winning Majors regularly, which was what he did.

"I was able to win one or two inconsequential matches, but not the important ones. Those three years were fundamental for my development. They made me hungrier to win, especially those two."

"I knew that if I found a way to be like those guys in the big matches, and I knew that a lot of that came from here (he touches his head with his right index finger), I could somehow crack the Grand Slams and start winning more. And that's what happened."

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Novak Djokovic on his rivalries with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal: "We created the most wonderful trio that tennis has ever produced"

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (Source: Getty)

During the same interview, Novak Djokovic expressed immense pride in having faced Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal a combined 110 times, emphasizing the importance of such rivalries in the world of sports.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion also reveled in creating the "most wonderful trio" in tennis history, despite the initial outcry about there being "no room" for a third player in Federer and Nadal's rivalry.

"I’m very proud of the experience of having played more than 60 matches with Rafa and I don’t know, about 50 with Roger. It’s incredible. I don't know if there is any rivalry with as many matches as I had with Nadal, for example. I think rivalries are extremely important for sport, whatever it is. People like that duality,"

"Although it is not my philosophy of life, I understand that there are people who like: “Boca-River, left-right.” It was Roger-Rafa, and they said to me: "Novak, what are you going to do there? Who is this guy? There is no room for a third." But then we created the most wonderful trio that tennis has ever produced."

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are set to lock horns for the final time at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, battling it out for third place. The duo last faced each other at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the Serb claimed a 6-1, 6-4 victory.