NOVAK DJOKOVIC: 2010, 11,12,13....and...NOW!

I'll let you into a secret, before I started typing and was trying to gather my thoughts I glanced at the title and let out a loud sigh...

Because that's how I feel when I think of Nole and his tennis past, present and future.

The Nowhere man in a Nowhere land, The In-Between, the Imposter.

Federer fans shudder in disgust when Nole is compared to their man. Nobody touches The Goat and his opulent grace and talent.

Nadal fans, they like Nole for some reason, but fear him.

Murray fans, or more Murray PR machine, will try to bring him down with all their might and even try an convince the world that he is more talented than Novak, just somehow, hasn't got the slams he deserves SO much to support that clam, but he' s on his way, nonetheless,he's been like that for years now. No probemo.


And then there are Nole fans. The passionate small group that love their man. The suffering ones. Those that live with rigged draws, dodgy scheduling, little love he gets. Yes, we know it's all because of money, still, it doesn't change a thing when you see how he fares against all the odds, crowds and powers that be.

This may all sound like a bit of a moan, but it's not, just how I see Nole and his career.

Right now, he is a bit of a heart-broken man not having won the gold medal he wanted so badly for Serbia. We, his fans don't mind. The desire was enough. He knows it, too. Still, the healing process has to take its course.

Winning Toronto helped a lot.

I have not seen Nole's match for bronze medal against Del Potro and probably never will, not even the highlights. Seeing the pained face with which he received the Rogers Cup trophy was very moving. He held it proudly and run around the stadium with it , sharing his joy with all those fans that knew how he was feeling.

Yes, he didn't have to beat any super big names to win it, but so what! It was his time to have a bit of relief from all the draw fixing, after all. Somebody Above had mercy.

This fan looks forward immensely to the rest of the season.

Nole, the man with the heart in his fist is back.

That's cute NITB!

I must say Nole's main achievement which I really respect, is not the number of slams, medals he won or even talent we could lend him but his handling of Nadal's power and fitness. This is to me his main achievement. Not a small one but like Nadal can be measured on how he hurt Federer, Nole will be remembered for the same reason but to Nadal.

I don;t think his tennis will be remembered as something special, but certainly as you say, his fighting spirit, determination and never-say-die attitude...though the latter remains to be proven over time.

I wish there was more Nole's fans.....He certainly deserves a bit more than now. However, very significantly, I noticed, even in the last 3 weeks, when talking about tennis to people who don;t follow much of it, Djokovic is certainly not a popular name and player. It's still about Nadal and Federer...I guess like it was Borg and McEnroe for decades.

Tenez wrote:

I wish there was more Nole's fans......

well, you know what camp to join once Fed retires, then 8)

noleisthebest wrote:
well, you know what camp to join once Fed retires, then 8)

I certainly know those I won't be joining! Sorry!

After having enjoyed the grace of Federer for 10 years everything will look very much down to earth afterwards. But I will certainly keep an open eye.

That's an interesting thought in fact....and I wonder what clever cookies at Nike think about it.....who and how is going to fill THAT void...

The thing is nowdays we can build champions from scratch! Look at Nadal! They will take the next charismatic player and help him no end.

Tenez wrote:The thing is nowdays we can build champions from scratch! Look at Nadal! They will take the next charismatic player and help him no end.

yes, it's like the good old one from Beatles, Money can't buy me love....sadly the new generations are brought up on whatever media serves them up as the fabulous new thing.

I don't think Nadal is charismatic. Charisma is universal and works on everyone, just look at Safin, for example. Nadal is just a manufactured equivalent of a poppy boy band.

Safin was a cool dude. If I was a pro player I'd want to be like him - party with the hotties all night, then play a bit of tennis the next day, pick up slam or two when you feel like it.

mikeyM1000 wrote:Safin was a cool dude. If I was a pro player I'd want to be like him - party with the hotties all night, then play a bit of tennis the next day, pick up slam or two when you feel like it.

and then be voted into the Russian parliament, just like that.....

noleisthebest wrote:
And then there are Nole fans. The passionate small group that love their man. The suffering ones. Those that live with rigged draws, dodgy scheduling, little love he gets. Yes, we know it's all because of money, still, it doesn't change a thing when you see how he fares against all the odds, crowds and powers that be.

This may all sound like a bit of a moan, but it's not, just how I see Nole and his career.

Right now, he is a bit of a heart-broken man not having won the gold medal he wanted so badly for Serbia. We, his fans don't mind. The desire was enough. He knows it, too. Still, the healing process has to take its course.

Winning Toronto helped a lot.

I have not seen Nole's match for bronze medal against Del Potro and probably never will, not even the highlights. Seeing the pained face with which he received the Rogers Cup trophy was very moving. He held it proudly and run around the stadium with it , sharing his joy with all those fans that knew how he was feeling.

Yes, he didn't have to beat any super big names to win it, but so what! It was his time to have a bit of relief from all the draw fixing, after all. Somebody Above had mercy.

This fan looks forward immensely to the rest of the season.

Nole, the man with the heart in his fist is back.

Nitb, beautifully written and quite right.

I must say that I do not mind personally that here is only couple of people who cheer for Nole, but it is a pity that audiences at stadiums mostly root for an oponent in these decisive matches. If that changed then Nole would have much easier life. My opinion based on my experiences is that most of tennis players support Fed and these who watch mostly tennis on TV are behind Nadal. But those who root for Nole has the heart on the "right" place :lol:

I am and was always a fighter against all odds and therefore I/we can be quite proud of him. What is more Nole is only one who is real threat for "an epileptic bull" 8) . The theater about Fed and Nadal relationship is absolutely ridiculous. Just a circus, may be paid by NIKE and that is nothing for me :pirat:

I am also looking forward for the next Nole´s matches and let us hope that he will stay healthy and hungry for other wins, he absolutely deserves it.

paulcz wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
And then there are Nole fans. The passionate small group that love their man. The suffering ones. Those that live with rigged draws, dodgy scheduling, little love he gets. Yes, we know it's all because of money, still, it doesn't change a thing when you see how he fares against all the odds, crowds and powers that be.

This may all sound like a bit of a moan, but it's not, just how I see Nole and his career.

Right now, he is a bit of a heart-broken man not having won the gold medal he wanted so badly for Serbia. We, his fans don't mind. The desire was enough. He knows it, too. Still, the healing process has to take its course.

Winning Toronto helped a lot.

I have not seen Nole's match for bronze medal against Del Potro and probably never will, not even the highlights. Seeing the pained face with which he received the Rogers Cup trophy was very moving. He held it proudly and run around the stadium with it , sharing his joy with all those fans that knew how he was feeling.

Yes, he didn't have to beat any super big names to win it, but so what! It was his time to have a bit of relief from all the draw fixing, after all. Somebody Above had mercy.

This fan looks forward immensely to the rest of the season.

Nole, the man with the heart in his fist is back.

Nitb, beautifully written and quite right.

I must say that I do not mind personally that here is only couple of people who cheer for Nole, but it is a pity that audiences at stadiums mostly root for an oponent in these decisive matches. If that changed then Nole would have much easier life. My opinion based on my experiences is that most of tennis players support Fed and these who watch mostly tennis on TV are behind Nadal. But those who root for Nole has the heart on the "right" place :lol:

I am and was always a fighter against all odds and therefore I/we can be quite proud of him. What is more Nole is only one who is real threat for "an epileptic bull" 8) . The theater about Fed and Nadal relationship is absolutely ridiculous. Just a circus, may be paid by NIKE and that is nothing for me :pirat:

I am also looking forward for the next Nole´s matches and let us hope that he will stay healthy and hungry for other wins, he absolutely deserves it.

Thank you Paul.
I don't mind the no cheer for Nole here either I'm so used to it I can't believe there's somebody else who genuinely likes him
I've always been convinced that quality beats quanity any day 8)

Nitb, please believe, here I am and always will stand behind Nole 8)

Yes, that is right, let us stay to be these the first class of quality as Nole alone shows us :king:

paulcz wrote:Nitb, please believe, here I am and always will stand behind Nole 8)

Yes, that is right, let us stay to be these the first class of quality as Nole alone show us :king:

I do believe Paul , I know a proper Nole fan when I see one, any Nole fan worth his/her salt cannot stand Nadal

You are right, he is a great example of fair play and sportsmanship. Very generous (genuinely not fake like some) and great both in victory and defeat

noleisthebest wrote:

paulcz wrote:Nitb, please believe, here I am and always will stand behind Nole 8)

Yes, that is right, let us stay to be these the first class of quality as Nole alone show us :king:

I do believe Paul , I know a proper Nole fan when I see one, any Nole fan worth his/her salt cannot stand Nadal

You are right, he is a great example of fair play and sportsmanship. Very generous (genuinely not fake like some) and great both in victory and defeat

Nadal does not let us at peace, he is like Frankenstein 8) I do not understand people who can cheer him. But let us stay positiveand hope that Nole has already found his peace and will succeed in the rest of season. I wish that very much

Yes I gotta agree with that,Novak deserves to win the sportsmanship award
I dont know how Nadal won it in 2010,I think that single vote from then bitter Berdych (who complained about Federer making excuses at Wimbledon) may have swayed it.After Nadal's tantrum over a line call in his match with Berdych at the WTF he wished he never voted for him

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:The thing is nowdays we can build champions from scratch! Look at Nadal! They will take the next charismatic player and help him no end.

yes, it's like the good old one from Beatles, Money can't buy me love....sadly the new generations are brought up on whatever media serves them up as the fabulous new thing.

I don't think Nadal is charismatic. Charisma is universal and works on everyone, just look at Safin, for example. Nadal is just a manufactured equivalent of a poppy boy band.

I agree that Nadal is not charismatic. The problem is nowadays people have less a sense of who is charismatic and who is not. As you say a young crowd can see charisma is a castrated boys band.

I honestly can think of other players before Nole winning the Edberg award. Yes he is a good loser but a player postulating for that award should at least play within the rules, including the 20s rule at slam.

yes good point about Berdych Vee. I exactly thought the same. But what I really like to know is who votes for that award? the top 5, the top 10, 20? We don't know. I doubt Nadal woudl have been voted ever had it been voted by a larger group of players.