Imagine Tom without Jerry, or Popeye without Bluto. Rivalries fuel greatness, giving each side a purpose to push further. But what happens when a third figure enters a two-man saga? A figure just as skilled, just as relentless, yet somehow left outside the spotlight of the rivalry itself. It’s utter chaos. And that’s the paradox Novak Djokovic has lived through.

First, it was the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal era, and now, perhaps again, it’s the same story with the rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Let’s break this down a bit further, shall we?

Novak Djokovic was the third wheel in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s rivalry

We all know the rivalry between Federer and Nadal. It was a highlight of the tennis community back in the 2000s. But when Novak Djokovic entered the scene later that decade, the fans treated that as a massive interruption to the Federer-Nadal storyline. And that continued for years. Many people even hated him for beating Federer and Nadal. But eventually, he managed to become an integral part of the Big Three. 

Talking about being a part of the Big Three, Novak Djokovic once stated, “I was never as loved as Federer and Nadal because I wasn’t supposed to be there. I was the little guy, the third guy who came along and said, ‘I’m going to be number one.’ Many people didn’t like that. For someone to be my biggest rival doesn’t mean I wish them harm, hate them, or want to do anything else on the court to defeat them. We fight for victory, and the best player wins.”

And back in 2024, Chris Bowers made an iconic comment on the tragedy of ‘The Djoker’. On the Tennis Channel’s podcast, he compared the sales of Djokovic and Federer’s books. He pointed out that the stories usually didn’t matter. He claimed that it’s the popularity of an entity that had pushed such things forward. And the Serbian missed out on it big time. He claimed, “And that’s the tragedy of Djokovic. He is less understood because he’s not as popular, perhaps because he was the third man in a two-man show.”

Now, around 17 years later, with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer out of the scene, one would expect the Serbian to have developed a sweet rivalry. But alas! He’s still stuck in the same paradox, despite entering a whole new era of tennis. It seems like ‘The Djoker’ is destined to justify his moniker and stay the third wheel in a two-man rivalry. 

The paradox of Djokovic continues in the Sincaraz era

Right now, the world of tennis is dominated by two names in the men’s category – Carlos Alcaraz, the world number one, and Jannik Sinner, the former world number one. And Djokovic is once again the third guy, disrupting this bittersweet rivalry. This is one of the reasons why many people want the 38-year-old to retire. Just look at it this way–In most major tournaments, it’s always Sinner or Alcaraz, and Djokovic entering the semifinals if Djokovic hadn’t been bested already by then, and then the sparring continues until one of them often becomes the champion.

However, by now, as much as they admire what Djokovic continues to do the way he does at his age, it is no longer the party trick of the century. Fans are more invested in the tango of the dynamic duo of Sinner and Alcaraz, where predictability no longer eclipses the rivalry. fans simply wish to see the finals happening between the Spaniard and the Italian. 

Now, Novak Djokovic has expressed his take regarding the whole third-man scenario. He recently stated, “I kind of empathize with the third guy, because I was in those shoes with Federer and Nadal. I want to see a third guy coming in.” 

Nevertheless, Djokovic is still going strong as one of the toughest players on the roster. However, he’s getting largely overshadowed by Sinner and Alcaraz. But what do you think of the Serbian’s stance? Drop a comment on and keep the conversation flowing.