"Roger Federer only had a problem because Novak Djokovic's family started shouting 'king is dead'" - Serb's take on dislike for his behavior irks fans

Novak Djokovic's remarks about Roger Federer's apparent dislike of his behavior when the Serb first entered the scene have sparked considerable interest among tennis fans.

Djokovic kept his hopes of a title defense alive at the 2024 Australian Open, advancing to the fourth round after claiming a dominant 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(2) win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

In his post-match press conference, the Serb was asked whether he had faced any criticism from older players on tour for his big, expressive personality when he first started. In response, the 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed that Federer had disapproved of his behavior during that time.

"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," Djokovic said.

The World No. 1 also expressed his belief that the top players disliked his behavior due to his open declaration of wanting to be the best in the world.

"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, and I felt like I have the game to back it up," he added.

However, tennis fans did not agree with Novak Djokovic's assessment. Several claimed that Roger Federer's aversion to him originated from the incident where the Serb's family reportedly chanted, "The King is dead, long live the king," after he upset Federer, the top seed and two-time defending champion, in the 2008 Australian Open semifinals.

"Roger only had a problem with Novak is because Novak's family literally started shouting "king is dead" at Roger after Novak beat him for the first time. There's a big context behind why Roger didn't like Novak initially," a fan commented.

"I mean Roger was critical but if your dad goes around saying the king is dead because you beat him one it's kind of unsurprising," another fan chimed in.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

"Roger Federer is like the Michael Jordan of tennis, without him would there have been a Novak Djokovic?" - Nick Kyrgios

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic

Nick Kyrgios recently asserted that Novak Djokovic is undeniably the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in tennis, citing the Serb's impressive statistical achievements, versatile playing style, and overall mastery of the sport.

However, Kyrgios also maintained that Roger Federer was the "nicest" player to watch and the most talented. He also drew a parallel between Federer's impact on tennis and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan's influence on basketball.

"And that doesn't mean… Like if I was to go out there and say, ‘who would I want to watch?’ Yep, I think Roger Federer is obviously the nicest player to watch. He's the most talented, makes the game look effortless," he said.

"And he’s like the Michael Jordan of tennis. Without Roger would there have been a Novak? Would there have been a Nadal? Something to chase," the Aussie added.

Djokovic will continue his Australian Open campaign against Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round. Mannarino upset Ben Shelton 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 to book a meeting with the World No. 1.