‘He is selfless and generous’ – Former Wimbledon champion praises Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic may be ruthless on the court but he is very invested in others off of it according to this former top pro.
The 20-time Major champion has received a shower of commendations from a fellow former top 10 player for his benevolent nature in the sport.
2013 Wimbledon champion Mario Bartoli describes Djokovic only positively in an interview with We Love Tennis.
“I know Novak [Djokovic] very well,” describes the former world number seven.
“Contrary to popular belief, Novak is selfless and generous, but also extremely intelligent.”
In particular, Bartoli highlighted the push from Djokovic in advocating for fellow players with his work on the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA).
“Novak’s approach [with the PTPA] is not to create a counter-power or to exert pressure,” Bartoli explains.
“He simply wants to defend the interests of lower-ranked players, allow them to earn more money, to have more means.
“Djokovic is a person who is viscerally oriented towards others. On the court, he reflects the image of a killer, but in life this is not the case and he often sees beyond his own interests.”
Djokovic established the PTPA along with Canadian player Vasek Pospisil at the 2020 US Open.
The organisation represents the interests of singles players in the top 500 and doubles players in the top 200 of the ATP and WTA rankings.
Moreover, the Serb has his own foundation, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which invests in early childhood education programs to set children up for brighter futures.
After a history-making 2021 which saw Djokovic come within one win of the first men’s Calendar Slam since 1969, the 34-year-old will be looking to maintain his highest of standards in 2022.
? Read >> Breaking tennis news
? Follow >> 24/7 LIVE scores
? Free >> Receive our legendary newsletter
? Join >> Tennishead CLUB, the world’s only virtual tennis club
? Social >> Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
? Order >> World’s best tennis magazine
? Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted retail partner