The Frenchman admitted that it was hard for people to fathom that Djokovic eclipsed the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Former French tennis player Michael Llodra has come up with his reasoning about the questions of Novak Djokovic not getting enough appreciation and love as much as the other champions on the Tour.

He talked about everything from Djokovic’s early days on the tour and his surpassing the two legends of the sport in the number of titles won.

Llodra said that the Serbian did not get any love at the beginning of his career. Things became tougher for Djokovic as he went on to smash every record held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, said Llorda. The Frenchman accepted that people in his country did not like the Serbian eclipsing the two legends of the sport.

After being unloved at the start, Novak also did the irreparable by passing in front of the two icons and I would say that in France we don't really like that. The fact remains that fifteen years ago, we could not have imagined that three players would win so many Grand Slam tournaments, and especially that Novak would finish in front.

Michael Llodra said about Novak Djokovic.

Michael Llodra talks about his relationship with Novak Djokovic

The Frenchman also talked about his relationship with Novak Djokovic. Michael Llodra said that he got along really well with the Serbian, as he was a jovial character. He recalled how the two players hit off right away because Djokovic used to joke around a lot.

Novak Djokovic (Image via Imago)

He’s someone I knew a lot about, because I played doubles for two years with his great friend Nenad Zimonjic. I spent time with him in tournaments. Actually, Novak is very funny, he likes to make jokes so we hit it off right away.

Michael Llodra said. (H/T: We Love Tennis)

Notably, Djokovic is known for his witty and humorous nature. The Serbian likes to fool around with his colleagues on tour and is fondly called ‘Joker’. However, Djokovic’s on-court antics always draw flak for him, as people perceive him as arrogant.

The 36-year-old is often criticized for his temperament and inability to control his emotions in tough situations. Djokovic’s racket smashes are always fresh in fans’ memories. Despite winning 24 Grand Slam titles, the Serbian is still finding his feet in terms of love and respect among the fans.