Tennis saw a period when the game was majorly dominated by the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. These two players took the whole world by storm and created a league of their own. However, little did they know that a new star was on the horizon waiting to write his own history. He was none other than Novak Djokovic. The Serbian sensation became one of the key highlights and took the tennis world by storm. At a time when everyone hailed the magic of the Swiss great, they saw the rise of a new star.

Following the Serb’s arrival in the game, his mother made a major statement while snubbing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s dominance in the sport. She claimed that the tennis world had a new king in the making.

Novak Djokovic’s mother snubs Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s dominance back in 2008

In the middle of tennis heavyweight rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic quietly carved his path to greatness. Djokovic’s journey was quite different from his counterparts. While Federer could return home on weekends at fourteen and Nadal had a supportive network, Djokovic, at twelve and a half, found himself alone, where he was independent and had resilience.

Djokovic matured early which displayed a drive and independence uncommon for his age. He lacked the safety net that cushioned the journeys of his rivals. His family also made a lot of sacrifices. Jelena Genčić, his coach, predicted a top-five spot by seventeen. However, he could not reach the mark due to some financial difficulties.

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“Everything affects your mentality, your psychological strength,” Djokovic said. “I was already by myself for three months when I was twelve and a half, so I had to be responsible. I had to be brave enough to be by myself and push hard, and that’s what I did. I learned how to be independent.”

He made his Grand Slam debut in 2005 against Marat Safin at the Australian Open. However, it wasn’t the one that he had hoped for, but it marked the beginning. Djokovic’s rapid growth in tennis was accompanied by his fluency in languages – he’s a polyglot of four and proficient in several more.

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By the end of 2007, Djokovic was No. 3, defeating Federer and Nadal along the way. His breakthrough came at the 2008 Australian Open, where he defeated Federer in straight sets, earning his first Grand Slam title. Despite his mother’s premature declaration of a new era, Federer and Nadal maintained their reigns.

“The King is dead, long live the King,” said Djokovic’s mother. “For four years it was Roger, Rafa, Rafa, Roger.” “Now it’s Novak, Novak, Novak, Novak.”

It wasn’t until 2011, after winning Wimbledon and defeating Nadal, that Djokovic claimed the No. 1 spot. His dominance is quite clearly reflected in his victories against Federer and Nadal. However, Djokovic’s family didn’t aid his public image.

Thus, the rise of tennis sensation Novak Djokovic broke the headlines with his emphatic performances. At a time when the greats like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal broke the headlines, the rise of Novak Djokovic saw a new era being introduced to the game.

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