Roger Federer Impressed with Novak Djokovic: “He Knows Exactly How to be Ready”

The Laver Cup 2019 is all set to kick-off for the showdown between Team Europe and Team World in the city of Geneva, this weekend. In a pre-tournament interview, Roger Federer talked about his experience with Novak Djokovic last year as the two helped Team Europe defend the title and continue their dominance on the Laver Cup.

The world No.1 Novak Djokovic was not scheduled to play the three-day event this year as Rafael Nadal joined hands with the Swiss maestro after missing the last edition. Roger Federer, who teamed up with Novak Djokovic in the 2018 Laver Cup, praised the world No.1 for his ability to relax and be ready before every match he plays.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion said in an interview in Geneva, “He (Novak Djokovic) too has his relaxed, as well as his respectable side. We are all very similar. To succeed, you have to have it. We play so many matches – 50 to 100. It’s not like boxing where you have one or two fights a year. You have to be relaxed for five minutes before the match.”

Federer also explained that the Serbian has a clear match plan on how he has to go about to win the match. Roger Federer also revealed that he is extremely impressed by Djokovic’s routine before the match as he knows how to prepare himself to be ready for the moment.

“What impressed me most about Djokovic is his clarity on how he wants to win his match. He says to himself, ‘That’s how I play, that leads to success.’ Also his whole process: how and when he has to eat. Everything has to be right. I respect that enormously. He knows exactly how to be ready for the moment,” the 38-year-old said.

Roger Federer concluded, “Novak was unbelievable about what he needs for his matches, his whole routine: how and when to eat. Everything has to be right.”