Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are two of the most iconic players to have picked up tennis rackets.
Federer managed to win 20 Grand Slam titles only to be eclipsed by Djokovic, who has won 24 major honours and is still fighting to win more, reaching four semifinals at Grand Slam events in 2025.
Federer dominated Grand Slams for a number of years and remains a fantastic ambassador for the sport of tennis to this day.
Federer has been playing some tennis lately and there has been talk of a seniors tour involving him and Rafael Nadal being discussed for the future.
Over the years, the Swiss performer has enjoyed some brilliant games with Djokovic and it was actually quite interesting what Federer said about the Serbian after the first time he played him.
What Roger Federer thought of Novak Djokovic after their first meeting
The first meeting between the two legends of the game came all the way back in 2006 when Federer ousted Djokovic in three sets during a round of 64 clash in Monte-Carlo.
Federer came through but what perhaps wasn’t evident at that time was the fact that such a rivalry would come to fruition with the Swiss superstar later recalling ahead of the US Open final in 2007 that he’d been less than impressed with Djokovic.
In his post-final press conference, he said: “Well, I mean, he’s been playing the tour for one and a half years. I mean, the players know him. I’ve played him already five times, so it’s not like it’s totally new, you know, for all of us.
“But, yeah, I mean, he’s done an incredible job, because I remember the first time I played him in Monaco. I beat him in three sets. Everybody was wondering, What do you think? I was like, not crazy impressed.
“But he’s had a great run and he’s really improved his game. Yeah, I mean, he’s done a great job the last six months or one year now.”
Djokovic can leave legacy that will be unrivalled
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the top two players in the sport right now, with four and six Grand Slams secured, respectively.
It remains to be seen whether or not anyone will get close to the 24 Grand Slam titles that Djokovic has currently won, and the Serbian will be desperate to win one more before he calls time on his career.
With Sinner and Alcaraz sharing the last eight Grand Slams, it does feel as though the records could tumble, but if Djokovic continues playing for a few more years, it’d be tough to bet against him claiming more titles.
As a result, his legacy could live on for a long time and with quality players rising up the ranks on the ATP Tour, Djokovic’s haul of Grand Slams could remain the benchmark for a long time to come.
Djokovic vs Federer head-to-head
Federer might not have fancied Djokovic as an elite player when they first met but the legendary figure had the edge over him by the time the Swiss player retired.
Djokovic won 27 of the 50 meetings, with 23 victories going in the direction of Federer.
The final meeting came in the 2020 Australian Open semifinal and saw Djokovic prevail, with Federer succumbing to the legendary figure for the final time.
It’s quite remarkable that Federer didn’t rate Djokovic the first time he played him and naturally, it’s now crystal clear that he managed to prove him badly wrong.
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