"If I was blindfolded, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer have very different auras" - Trio's former hitting partner on what sets them apart

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic are arguably the best male tennis players in history. Beyond their greatness and impressive Grand Slam tallies, they share another common link—Mike Digby, who once served as a hitting partner for the trio.

Digby played college tennis in the US before graduating in 2019 and transitioning to a career as a hitting partner. Besides Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal, he has practiced with Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, to name a few.

The Brit has been coaching Tamara Zidansek since 2022, guiding the Slovenian through four Grand Slam appearances at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2023 and 2024. Before teaming up with Zidansek, he worked as the traveling coach for Gaby Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.

In a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Mike Digby reflected on his time as a hitting partner for the 'Big 3.' He shared fascinating insights, including how he distinguishes the trio by their unique "auras."

He highlighted Federer’s calm and class, noting how it stands in stark contrast to Nadal’s intense energy and powerful, grunting strikes.

"If I was blindfolded, they're very different auras," Digby said. "Federer, you can feel his presence just through pure quality of ball striking. So just the sound of the ball off the strings, the elegance that he brings when he does it, just the calm and class that he brings, you can just feel it."

"But on the flip side, Nadal would be someone that you can hear, right? His aura comes through what you hear through the heaviness of the strike, through the grunt, obviously, through the feet that you can kind of just hear him scurrying his feet," he added.

Digby reserved a different viewpoint for Djokovic, describing him as an amalgamation of the talents of Federer and Nadal. He added that while the Serb may exhibit a bit more "arrogance" than his two biggest rivals, he appreciated the quality.

"Novak has a blend of those two. He has a bit more of an arrogance to him. And I love that about him. That's genuinely not a negative comment at all. I think that if he didn't have that, he wouldn't be the Novak Djokovic that we all know. It makes him who he is," the Brit said.

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Novak Djokovic feeds his "motivation" by chasing records, believes Mike Digby

Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2024 US Open | Image Source: Getty

In his interview with Sportskeeda, Mike Digby reflected on his protege Tamara Zidansek's remarkable journey to the semifinals of the 2021 French Open, where she defeated top players such as Bianca Andreescu and Paula Badosa along the way.

He also addressed her slump in form afterwards, expressing his belief that while it's natural for athletes to chase records, the focus should be more on the process rather than the outcome.

"If we look back at when Tamara [Zidansek] made semis at Roland Garros, she beat some very good players in that tournament, kind of a little bit of a breakthrough for her," Digby said.

"But I think one of my, and she would agree one of her biggest reflections, is it's more important than managing the expectations day in, day out and the next six months than it necessarily is to chase more results like that," he added.

Digby then touched on the mindset of legendary players such as Novak Djokovic, noting that for athletes of their caliber, pursuing records serves as a "motivation":

"I've had the privilege to spend a little bit of time with Djokovic and other players like this. It [chasing records] is a motivation for them."

The British coach is having a decent season with Zidansek, who, under his guidance, recently made it to the semifinals of the Thailand Open before losing to eventual champion Rebecca Sramkova.