“You have faced Novak Djokovic 14 times without managing to find the solution. Why is he so hard to beat?
He always manages to make you feel that he is 60-70% by not taking risks but you feel that he keeps some under his feet, which is very frustrating. So often as soon as you start trailing it gives you the feeling that you don’t have a chance and when he gets over it that’s where he picks up the pace a bit more. Once he puts your head under water, he never lets it out again. It breaks your confidence very quickly in the game.
“By being as professional as possible, I try to do the maximum but give him much more, even his energy drinks prepared by a laboratory to have exactly what he needs”
What impresses you most about its longevity?
He never leaves anything to chance, I’m impressed because he’s the only one who really manages to do everything 100%. Sometimes it’s hard to make choices, between tennis training, physical preparation, and all the other little details. By being as professional as possible, I try to do the maximum but give him much more, even his energy drinks prepared by a laboratory to have exactly what he needs. It does not surprise me that he is also physically fit. We’re the same age and I feel like he’s ten years younger.
For a 35 year old, he moves amazingly. People don’t realize how fast and accurate it is. If you are always well placed, it is much easier to play with the arm. In fact, he impresses me more and more. To see him still evolve at this level, when I have known him since I was little, you have the feeling that he can stay there for several more years without any problem. This year, he will still be very difficult to beat on all surfaces, I put him as the favorite even on clay.
“He doesn’t have the best attitude, he’s not a gentleman on the pitch, that’s also why there are people who don’t like him”
Jeremy Chardy on Novak Djokovic
How do you explain, despite all the respect and admiration he inspires in you, that he is still so divisive?
Already, there are many people who look up to Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal) and since their only competitor is Novak, they want to hate him because they don’t want him to win all the titles and pass them by. Roger and Rafa are the ones with the most fans all over the world so all those people don’t like Novak. Afterwards, when he is on the court, Novak will do everything to win. He doesn’t have the best attitude, he’s not a gentleman on the pitch, that’s also why there are people who don’t like him. Me it does not bother me because the main thing is to win, only the result counts and then his prize list speaks for him. Sometimes he is also a little misunderstood. But now he’s even assumed that he doesn’t really care if we like him or not.
How is he in the locker room?
In the locker room, if you don’t know him, it’s hard to be close to him or talk to him. Me, I’ve known him since we were really very young so that’s why I’m a little closer. Otherwise, he is with his team, super well surrounded, he does not let anyone in. He is in his world, in his project, in his goals, and for him, nothing can stop him. He has a goal and you really feel it. He wants to win as many Grand Slams as possible, as many titles as possible, that’s all he thinks about. He is fully committed to the idea of breaking all records and I think he will do it. For me, if he wins 25 or 30 Grand Slams, he will be the greatest player of all time and people will still love him. »
