Djokovic: Tried to be someone else, inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo playing in his 40s, not retiring anytime soon

Following his semifinal defeat at the ATP Finals, Djokovic joined a talk show and openly revealed that he once attempted to emulate Federer and Nadal early in his career, but now he prefers to be genuine and firmly declared he will not retire soon.

It is widely recognized that Djokovic’s matches are referred to as “global away games,” stemming from the fact that many fans have viewed him as a sudden “intruder” or a “breaker” of the Federer-Nadal dynasty. Consequently, in his early years, Djokovic, as he himself put it, barely received any so-called respect. However, Djokovic also admitted that he always longed to change this situation through his own efforts.

“In fact, for a part of my life and career, I tried to be someone else because I really wanted to fit in,” Djokovic candidly said during an interview in Riyadh.

This mindset did not come out of nowhere. Djokovic competed holding a Serbian passport when he was young, and he confessed, “When I was a teenager holding a Serbian passport, most people would turn their heads away from me.” He honestly shared that this feeling of being an “outsider” has always accompanied him.

Djokovic once spoke about his awareness of this inequality, admitting, “I was never as loved as Federer and Nadal because many people felt I didn’t belong there. I was like a small figure, a third person who suddenly came in and said I wanted to be world number one, and many people disliked that.”

French tennis star Tsonga analyzed this, saying, “I think there was a time when he didn’t want to be himself; he wanted to be Federer or Nadal.”

Tsonga pointed out that if Djokovic had shown his true self and honesty earlier, he would have gained more support. Early in his career, Djokovic not only mimicked Nadal’s serve but also imitated Sharapova’s serve, trying to connect with the audience through humor.

However, as time passed, Djokovic gradually realized the importance of staying true to himself, understanding the principle: “True respect doesn’t require forced flattery.”

Tsonga commented, “But now it’s much better; he is simply himself, completely honest, no longer following or copying others, just sticking to who he is. That’s why many admire him. Everything he does is no longer to gain others’ approval but because he genuinely wants to.”

This transformation has earned Djokovic greater respect and support.

The host compared him to boxing legend Ali during the interview: “Your story reminds me of Muhammad Ali. Even if people don’t like you at first, they eventually accept and respect you. The world will embrace the real you.”

French tennis great Marion Bartoli also agreed with this comparison, saying, “Djokovic’s achievements in tennis are comparable to basketball legend Michael Jordan and boxing champion Muhammad Ali.”

Additionally, the show touched on the topic of retirement. Recently, rumors about Djokovic retiring have been widespread, but Djokovic clearly stated on the program that he will not retire soon.

He explained, “I want to see how far I can go. Seeing LeBron and Cristiano Ronaldo still competing in their 40s inspires me. Tennis is evolving, and I want to experience this change by continuing to play. So yes, people want this (retirement) to happen, but it won’t happen anytime soon.”

In Riyadh, Djokovic talked about his plans for the next season: “At this stage of my career, I don’t think too far ahead; I focus only on what will happen in the coming weeks. I hope to stay healthy because my body hasn’t been in great shape over the past 18 months.”

Despite being 38 years old, Djokovic remains competitive. In the 2025 season, he reached the semifinals of all four Grand Slam tournaments, fully demonstrating his extraordinary longevity in the sport.

Djokovic’s career resembles a long journey of growth—from imitating others to accepting himself, from craving love to remaining unshaken by praise or criticism. But as the host said, the world will ultimately embrace the real him. Tennis history is still being written by him, and this legend is far from over.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)