Novak Djokovic has invited his old rivals for a brutally honest sit-down chat (Image: Getty)
Novak Djokovic has shared his wish to sit down with long-time rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for a no-holds-barred chat.
The world No. 7 is the last remaining active member of the Big Three, with the other two men now retired from the sport.
Djokovic is desperate to find a chance to pick their brains now they no longer need to battle on the tennis court, though he’s not sure whether Federer and Nadal will feel the same.
The Big Three dominated the sport for the better part of two decades, winning 66 Grand Slam titles between them and sharing the world No. 1 ranking for years. But their era has come to an end, with Federer retiring in 2022 before Nadal followed suit last November.
Djokovic was always the outsider in their rivalry, bursting onto the scene later on and threatening the ‘Fedal’ stronghold before he ultimately surpassed their records.
Their relationship has improved over the years and Djokovic is keen to go deeper, extending an invitation to the pair.
“Each one of us has had and has currently his own way in life and journey,” the 37-year-old told GQ.
“And I think, with Roger, the last few times that I saw him, we talk about family, being on the road. And actually I do wish to connect with those guys more, on a deeper level. I really do.”
Novak Djokovic extended an invitation to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (Image: Getty)
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However, he’s not so sure what Federer and Nadal will think. “Whether that’s going to happen or not, I don’t know if they share the same desire or willingness. I do,” Djokovic added.
“I do want to… and let’s see, it depends how life is going to guide us or turn out for all of us. We live in different places and I think tennis is what brought so much to all of us. And tennis is probably still going to bring us together in some shape or form.
“I will definitely extend my invitation to both of these guys for some chilling, relaxing time and reflection.”
If Federer and Nadal accept the Serb’s invitation, he doesn’t want them to hold anything back.
Djokovic continued: “I do wish to have a drink or two with them and just open up and talk about the things that annoyed everyone about me! Or vice versa, whatever it is. Let’s just put it all out there.”
“And I think I would love to also pick their brains and understand what they were thinking about, how they were handling certain situations on the court, pressures of the world that is on your shoulders when you’re at the top of the game.
“And I have my observations, ’cause I did observe them as they did observe me over the years. But it’s different when you hear it from the man himself.
“So I hope that in some kind of environment that is really relaxing, one day we can all open up and reflect. It would be great for us. But also I think it would send a great message to the people who follow tennis and sports that, hey, three of us getting together.”
For now, Djokovic is busy trying to extend his lead over Federer and Nadal. The Serb is bidding to win a record 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. But when all is said and done, he’ll be ready to spend some time with his biggest rivals.
