By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday April 19, 2020
In an interview Rafael Nadal said that Novak Djokovic is a "obsessed" about breaking records. Djokovic disagrees.
Photo Source: TN
Rafael Nadal thinks that Novak Djokovic is a little obsessive about winning major titles and breaking records – but not in a bad way. The Spaniard made his comments during an exclusive with George Bellshaw of Metro UK, and Nadal's words, in addition to Djokovic’s reply to them, gave tennis fans good insight into the philosophy of these two great champions.
"Of course, I want to win more Slams, yes. No doubt about that. But I never get – I mean, Novak is more obsessed about this, more focused,” Nadal said, adding that being “obsessed” isn’t necessarily a negative thing.
"Not in a negative way,” Nadal said. “No, he’s more focused on just these things and it means a lot to him all of this stuff. Like he’s always saying and talking about these records and well done for him. But it’s not my approach to my tennis career.”
Speaking with Sasa Osmo of Tennis Majors, Djokovic gave his take on Nadal’s quotes, and denied being obsessed. He’s just focused, he said. Goal-oriented if you will.
"Personally, I do not feel that I am obsessed with anything in life; what I feel is passion and huge desire,” he said. “I am going towards achieving my goals and I have never had a problem verbalizing it. Maybe someone cannot say something and then stick to it, but I never found it hard to say: 'I want to break that record or reach a certain goal'. I do not know why would that be a bad thing, not just in terms of records, but anything, politics in tennis for instance.”
Djokovic says he respects Nadal a great deal but will have to agree to disagree with him on this topic.
"It is all a matter of perception and interpretation of what one says,” he said. “I respect Rafa, probably more than any other player in the world; he is the biggest rival I had in my life. Everything he has achieved, his dedication to tennis and the way he goes about practicing and tennis in general, these traits of his are worthy of admiration. He knows what sources of motivation he has, I cannot go into that."