Novak Djokovic is disliked simply because beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, claims Patrick Mouratoglou.
Djokovic has all but ended the GOAT debate in the last 12 months with him winning three more majors to take the lead in the Grand Slam race.
He has also passed 400 weeks at world number one as well as collecting or extending a plethora of other tennis records.
Those records speak for themselves, yet Djokovic has still had to endure hostile crowds all season.
That, though, according to Mouratoglou, is simply down to anger that he dared to be better than Nadal and Federer and not only muscled his way into the GOAT debate but ultimately won it.
“Rafa and Roger were the biggest superstars of tennis, but Novak Djokovic came in and beat both of them and the crowds hated him for that,” Mouratoglou said at the ultimate Tennis Showdown in London.
“I think he is booed for other reasons as well. He says he doesn’t like this negativity, but sometimes he pushes the crowd to boo him because it helps him during the matches.”
Djokovic is too often cast as the third wheel in the Big Three when it comes to popularity, with many claiming he isn’t as loved as Nadal and Federer.
Mouratoglou, though, believes that is absolute nonsense and people underestimate just how much love there is out there for Djokovic.
“What we should not forget is has 14 million followers on Instagram,” he said. “He is a huge hero in Serbia. He is the biggest name in tennis and we will all miss him when he stops playing the sport.”
