‘He Never Managed to Be as Loved..’ – Rafael Nadal’s Uncle Toni Reveals Why Novak Djokovic’s ‘Complicated’ History With Fans Is His Wrong-Doing

Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic is on par with Rafael Nadal now, as far as Grand Slam titles are concerned. The 35-year-old is statistically the top tennis player alongside his Spanish rival. However, is it really what fans believe? Whenever someone seeks answers to this question, there will be mixed responses. While the fans absolutely adore Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Djokovic often gets an indifferent reaction from the tennis fanbase.

There’s no doubt that the Serb is among the greatest tennis players ever. Still, the hate he receives is something unexpected. Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni Nadal recently gave his opinion about the same.

Toni Nadal explains the reason for the hate Novak Djokovic receives

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni Nadal opened up about the rivalry between his nephew and the Serbian tennis star. While the 35-year-old made a strong start to the year, Toni is hopeful that his nephew can lift the Roland Garros title again.

Meanwhile, when asked about the hate Djokovic receives, Toni replied, “Well, I don’t know. Nor is it an issue that worries me a lot. I think the problem he has had is that he broke in when there was a clear rivalry between Federer and Rafael, and people liked that confrontation. I think he never managed to be as loved as the other two.”

Further, the Spanish coach also spoke about the controversial behavior of the Serb that might have added to the hate people had for him. “His behavior on the track has sometimes been a little more complicated,” Toni added.

Read more: VIDEO: Novak Djokovic Weeps and Collapses In-Front of His Mother Amid Overwhelming Emotions in a Historic Australian Open Title Win

Rafael Nadal has not been in great form lately. However, he is a completely different beast on clay. It will be interesting to see if Djokovic can go past Nadal this time at the French Open.

Rafael Nadal congratulated Djokovic on his Australian Open triumph

With his record-leveling 22nd Grand Slam title, Novak Djokovic has kept the GOAT debate alive. While Nadal and Djokovic fans can’t stop quarreling over their greatness, the two share great respect and camaraderie between them. After suffering another injury scare, Nadal was unable to qualify for the third round.

On the other hand, Djokovic cruised to a rather easy 10th Australian Open title. Soon after the Serb’s phenomenal achievement, Nadal came up with a congratulatory post for his rival. It will take some time for the Spaniard to recover from the injury. However, we expect him to be fully fit before clay-court season and the French Open.

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At this juncture of his career, it will be interesting to see if the ‘King of Clay’ can hold his fort against a rampant Djokovic.