{"id":16548,"date":"2025-01-03T03:03:05","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T03:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=16548"},"modified":"2025-01-03T03:03:05","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T03:03:05","slug":"persistent-novak-djokovic-critic-adriano-panattas-most-controversial-quotes-about-the-tennis-great-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=16548","title":{"rendered":"Persistent Novak Djokovic critic Adriano Panatta\u2019s most controversial quotes about the tennis great"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Adriano<\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n
Adriano Panatta hands the 2016 French Open trophy to Novak Djokovic<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Italian great Adriano Panatta has become known as a tennis pundit who is not afraid of voicing his unvarnished opinions, even if it involves attacking some of the sport\u2019s biggest stars.<\/strong><\/p>\n

During a professional career spanning from 1969 to 1983,\u00a0Panatta\u00a0secured 10 singles titles, including the 1976 French Open, and reached a career-high ATP ranking of world No 4.<\/p>\n

The 74-year-old, who helped Italy win their first Davis Cup title in 1976, was the only player to defeat tennis icon Bjorn Borg at the French Open, achieving the feat twice.<\/p>\n

When\u00a0Jannik Sinner\u00a0withdrew from the group phase of the 2023 Davis Cup Finals in September, Panatta slammed\u00a0his 22-year-old compatriot.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, tennis players are businesses and, as such, they only think about profit, especially those around them, forgetting history and feelings,\u201d the Italian said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had already given up on the Olympic Games [in 2021], today he says no to the Davis Cup. Jannik is tired?\u201d<\/p>\n

While Sinner came under fire on that occasion, legendary Serbian\u00a0Novak Djokovic\u00a0has been the most frequent and notable target of Panatta\u2019s criticism in recent years.<\/p>\n

Here, we look at five of Panatta\u2019s most controversial quotes about Djokovic.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s say there\u2019s a big mystery surrounding him. How is he really? Is he bluffing?\u201d<\/h3>\n

Djokovic made an impressively swift recovery to play at the 2024\u00a0Wimbledon Championships\u00a0after\u00a0tearing his meniscus and undergoing surgery less than a month before the tournament started.<\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Panatta, though, suggested he was not convinced Djokovic had been injured and raised questions over his operation.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s say there\u2019s a big mystery surrounding him,\u201d Panatta said to\u00a0Libero Quotidiano<\/em>. \u201cHow is he really? Is he bluffing? And his recently operated knee?<\/p>\n

\u201cAt 37, he\u2019s not the \u2018Djoker\u2019 of the good days, but I would always be afraid to cross rackets with someone who has triumphed on Centre Court seven times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, nothing changes \u2013 Roger Federer is the greatest\u201d<\/h3>\n

Djokovic claimed his 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2023 French Open to stand alone as the man with the most Major singles crowns, having previously been tied with\u00a0Rafael Nadal.<\/p>\n

Panatta, however, argued Djokovic\u2019s historic triumph changed nothing in the GOAT debate as he gave his backing to Roger Federer.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, nothing changes \u2013 Roger Federer is the greatest. It\u2019s not just a matter of aesthetics. And not even of statistics, which they like so much but leave the time they find,\u201d the Italian told\u00a0Corriere della Serra<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me explain better \u2013 in the few years that he has played, Borg has concentrated more Grand Slam victories than Djokovic, Nadal and Federer combined.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Adriano Panatta hands the 2016 French Open trophy to Novak Djokovic Italian great Adriano Panatta has become known as a tennis pundit who is not afraid of… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tennis"],"yoast_head":"\nPersistent Novak Djokovic critic Adriano Panatta\u2019s most controversial quotes about the tennis great - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=16548\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Persistent Novak Djokovic critic Adriano Panatta\u2019s most controversial quotes about the tennis great - 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