The Serbian, currently holding the top spot in the world rankings, is aiming for a historic 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne, where he has already clinched the title on 10 occasions.
Djokovic stands as the most decorated player in men’s tennis, boasting two more major titles than the sidelined Rafael Nadal and a four-title lead over the retired Federer, both of whom are part of the renowned ‘Big Three.’
Having engaged in a memorable rivalry with the Swiss maestro, winning 27 of their 50 encounters, the 36-year-old is now eyeing an 11th Australian Open victory in Melbourne to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
Following his straightforward victory over 30th-seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Friday, marking his 100th match at the tournament, Djokovic, appearing close to his best after some uneven performances in the initial rounds, was asked to reflect on his early career as he aimed to challenge the established giants of the game.
“I know certainly Federer didn’t like the way I was behaving at the beginning,” he said. “I think it didn’t sit with him well. I don’t know about the others.
“I guess I wasn’t the favourite type of guy to some of the top guys because I was not afraid to say that I want to be the best player in the world.
“I was confident, and I felt like I have the game to back it up.”
However, Djokovic, set to confront French 20th seed Adrian Mannarino in the round of 16, emphasized that he never lacked respect.
“Respect is something that I was taught that needs to be present regardless of what is happening,” he said.
“Obviously on the court a lot of things can happen in a kind of heat of a battle. It was a very long time ago now, 20 years since I made my first debut I think on the professional tour. It’s really hard to say who liked me more or less.”
The Serbian provided a glimpse into his motivations, revealing that he draws inspiration from what he perceives as unjust criticism.
“If I made a mistake, I would admit it and, of course, say I make a mistake, I raise my hand, I apologise or whatever.
“But if the criticism came with no particular reason I think, then I would just keep going in the kind of direction that I chose, and that’s it.
“I knew and I know today that you can’t have everyone liking you, who you are, how you play, how you behave, what you talk about. It’s normal. We’re all different. We are all different preferences.”
