Mats Wilander outlined what separates Novak Djokovic’s game from his biggest rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
The legendary tennis trio, dubbed by many as the ‘Big Three’, revolutionised the sport with their spectacular matches and phenomenal achievements over a prolonged period of time.
They set a new standard in the men’s game and they are dubbed by many as the greatest tennis players of all time.
In recent years the Serbian has claimed some of the game’s greatest records including the most number of Grand Slams with 24.
He also turned around his head-to-head records against Nadal and Federer by fine-tuning his game to the point where Wilander believes he has no glaring weaknesses.
Mats Wilander gives a glowing assessment of Novak Djokovic’s game
After spending several years behind Federer and Nadal in the rankings, Djokovic became a dominant force in 2011 and he never looked back. He has claimed 23 majors since then and spent over 400 weeks ranked as the World number one.
Ahead of Djokovic attempting to match Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles, Wilander explained what he believes separates the 37-year-old from his rivals.
“With Novak, what we didn’t realise is that there were no weaknesses anywhere in his game on any surface,” the Swede told Eurosport. “I think it took a while for everybody to understand that he doesn’t have weaknesses.
“Federer has a weakness. Nadal has weaknesses. Djokovic doesn’t really have a weakness. What we didn’t realise is that there were no weaknesses anywhere in his game on any surface.
“I think it took a while for everybody to understand that he doesn’t have weaknesses. Federer had a weakness. Nadal has weaknesses. Djokovic doesn’t really have a weakness.”
What is Novak Djokovic’s record against Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer?
Djokovic has played both Federer and Nadal more times than any other players throughout his career.
Despite trailing initially, of the 50 matches he played against the Swiss Maestro, Djokovic has won 27 of those encounters.
In Grand Slams, the pair squared off 17 times, with Federer winning just six of those encounters, and he claimed just one of their four meetings in major finals.
Djokovic has played Nadal a staggering 59 times, and was losing the head to head battle until he gained the advantage in 2016. As it stands he has 30 wins while Nadal sits on 29, in what is a truly compelling rivalry and arguably the greatest the sport has seen.
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