Novak Djokovic appeared before reporters before his return to the tournament in Basel, where he spoke openly not only about his relationship with Roger Federer, but also about the political situation and the end of the Aleksandar Vučić era in Serbia. according to Pravda.sk.
Relationship with Federer and return to Basel
When the legendary Roger Federer retired, he had 103 ATP titles to his name. Novak Djokovic has only one less, and he continues his career and can reach Federer’s level in Basel, which is closest to the Swiss’ heart. Before the tournament, the Serbian tennis player gave a frank statement:
Our relationship was always purely professional. We were never particularly close off the court, we were primarily rivals,
the Serb spoke and added: But Roger has always had a lot of respect for me. He has done a lot for world tennis and opened the door to the next generation of players, for which I am very grateful.
Djokovic returns to Basel, where he played two major finals with Federer, defeating him in one. He also spoke about fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who recently retired.
Political statements and the upcoming match
In addition to sports topics, Djokovic also responded to political events. Elections were held in Serbia, after which the era of Aleksandar Vučić ended, which report specifies:
I am very happy about this. I have deep respect for the students who have pushed for this change. They have shown incredible resilience and I have my highest appreciation for them. We have a right to be proud and I believe that our country has a successful future ahead of it,
Djokovic said.
He will enter the tournament in Basel on Thursday, where He will challenge German Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening round.
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