Djokovic had the greatest and most inspirational story in spots history. Period.

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
I'm not saying that's the reason all the people that dislike him dislike him, because we all just don't like everyone for one reason or another, but the media played a large role in that in my opinion. One thing is for sure, he was much more liked early on.
Which is another topic entirely and should be talked about more. The paychecks in tennis are too low compared to other sports.

Man judging the most popular sports is worthless. It aint that popular if the majority of them aint getting in their career what a back up NBA player makes in a season.
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
This place is actually delusional.

LeBron? Ali? Not even frigging Monica Seles?

The plights of Novak Djokovic have been very much exaggerated if we’re even putting him in the same conversation as these folks. It’s like the victim complex awards here lol

Not denying that he had some degree of adversity to overcome in the first place, but not that much…
 

ibbi

G.O.A.T.
That tweet sounds like the opinion of a rational and fair mind :-D if you think it's the greatest and most inspirational story in sports history you probably don't know much about sports history, or only follow the careers of superstars.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
This place is actually delusional.

LeBron? Ali? Not even frigging Monica Seles?

The plights of Novak Djokovic have been very much exaggerated if we’re even putting him in the same conversation as these folks. It’s like the victim complex awards here lol

Not denying that he had some degree of adversity to overcome in the first place, but not that much lol
Why is everything a victim complex concerning Djokovic? Lol. That lame line is old. Find a new one.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
Tennis in the USA and Canada and ranks so low in ratings they barely publish the ratings. There are probably 10 sports ( heck maybe more) that people watch more in the states.

Just off the top of my head

Football
Basketball
Soccer
Baseball
NASCAR
Golf
Formula 1
Ice Hockey
and there are even more. Heck at this point corn hole might rank higher
 

RS

Bionic Poster
I wouldn't fault Djokovic fans for picking him the Wim 18 comeback was great. But I am here to promote other athletes :p
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
The only time I would say this might be comparable was in 2020-22 with the COVID anti vaccine and deportation stuff. But I’d say that was hardly a criticism of him as a tennis player, so to speak, and was largely unrelated to his standing in the tennis pantheon.

And even then, the Decision Era LeBron was treated 10x more unfairly and hated much more.

It’s just not really comparable. Djokovic’s biggest complaint is that he played in an era with two more popular players before him who took a bit of the limelight and adoration. LeBron’s biggest complaint is that every single day of his life he’s had hit pieces, true hatred, and millions praying on his downfall.
Pretty much all of this. How this is even worthy of debate is beyond me.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
There are dudes in the NFL and NBA who have literally survived being shot. I dont really know if Novak fits that description.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
Also there are many MLB stories of Cuban players literally floating on rafts to the USA to play. One guy on Tampa bay floated on a raft to Mexico to defect. You guys really need to read more stories.
 

Poisoned Slice

Bionic Poster
The water went cold in David Beckham's shower that one time. But let's call a cigar a cigar. You're never going to get tougher than that. No real surprise that he became one of Man United's greatest ever players (most definitely) and is now a successful businessman. He helped bring Messi to America.
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
It doesn't fit so you have to acquit. Seriously, it's lame and you should come up with something better.
I don’t need to come up with anything better if the original descriptor is perfectly applicable. And I’d say it is. If you’re receiving tennis lessons from a literal professional from the age of 6 (and mind you tennis is an expensive sport) that is privilege. Most athletes would love to have the benefits Djokovic has enjoyed his whole career (such as having a very supportive and affluent family), and Djokovic himself has talked about how lucky he’s been to perform at such a high level and to have the kind of career he’s had.

Djokovic’s struggles mainly stick out in comparison to other tennis pros, but tennis is basically a rich person’s sport so its players are pretty much among the most pampered athletes out there; thus, it doesn’t really merit a comparison to other athletes, especially those from previous eras who had far less access to the benefits of modern sports (for example, the relative lack of racial discrimination to list a particularly striking one).
 

Kralingen

Bionic Poster
Djokovic plays a sport that's more popular worldwide than basketball so the scrutiny level will be higher and more spread out. Yea I agree there was a lot of pressure on Lebron to live up to the expectations but there was lot of expectations on Kobe too, since he was a young phenom too, but I liked Kobe's personality more and I thought he handled it better.
Not even close, literally not even comparable. Did anyone talk about late 90s Kobe? He also won early and Shaq was the lightning rod of the entire team, and also the better player. Their career arcs are not even close.

Kobe did get a lot of hate for the Colorado rape case and the subsequent Shaq fallout but I swear man. His 2004 finals was almost as bad as 2011 and do you EVER hear people bring up his 2004 finals or the fact he missed the playoffs in 05?

If LBJ did that in the middle of his prime…

It’s not close.
I'm talking about how much a biased media can change people's perception of you and I think they definitely did that to Djokovic who everyone loved in the beginning when he was the court jester and made them laugh. Once he became too good, then he was a problem. They turned on Lebron too but he is kind of arrogant. Maybe you don't see him that way but I and a lot of others do. So yea they will build you up and tear you down so we at least agree on this part.
He has an ego for sure but I wonder why he has it. Could be that hyping a player to high heavens and placing insane expectation on him at age 14 and quite literally making him the savior of the NBA had some unintended consequences. Djokovic has had a lot of arrogant moments on court by the way.

There is an entire multimillion dollar media enterprise based around criticizing LeBron compared to Jordan lol. Daily TV and radio shows have filled the airwaves with LeBron hate as the center for decades now.

It’s not comparable man it’s just not. It’s legitimately not even close when we talk about scale.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
I don’t need to come up with anything better if the original descriptor is perfectly applicable. And I’d say it is. If you’re receiving tennis lessons from a literal professional from the age of 6 (and mind you tennis is an expensive sport) that is privilege. Most athletes would love to have the benefits Djokovic has enjoyed his whole career, and Djokovic himself has talked about how lucky he’s been to perform at such a high level and to have the kind of career he’s had.

Djokovic’s struggles mainly stick out in comparison to other tennis pros, but tennis is basically a rich person’s sport so its players are pretty much among the most pampered athletes out there; thus, it doesn’t really merit a comparison to other athletes, especially those from previous eras who had far less access to the benefits of modern sports (for example, the relative lack of racial discrimination to list a particularly striking one).
Yea because people dont know history. Someone comparing him as more inspirational than Jesse Owens or Jackie Robinson has regency bias and knows nothing.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
Anyone comparing Lebron James or Novak to what past athletes had to deal with knows nothing. The world didnt start when you were born and when you became a fan. Even comparing him to someone like Bille Jean King is pathetic.
 

UnforcedTerror

Hall of Fame
The only time I would say this might be comparable was in 2020-22 with the COVID anti vaccine and deportation stuff. But I’d say that was hardly a criticism of him as a tennis player, so to speak, and was largely unrelated to his standing in the tennis pantheon.

And even then, the Decision Era LeBron was treated 10x more unfairly and hated much more.

It’s just not really comparable. Djokovic’s biggest complaint is that he played in an era with two more popular players before him who took a bit of the limelight and adoration. LeBron’s biggest complaint is that every single day of his life he’s had hit pieces, true hatred, and millions praying on his downfall.
It can't be compared, man. LeBron is the GOAT basketballer but he still played a team sport.

It's much tougher and more brutal when you face all the **** Djokovic faced from western median and hostile Fedal crowds alone and still manage to make it to the pinnacle of the sport. An individual global sport with a rich history.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
I don’t need to come up with anything better if the original descriptor is perfectly applicable. And I’d say it is. If you’re receiving tennis lessons from a literal professional from the age of 6 (and mind you tennis is an expensive sport) that is privilege. Most athletes would love to have the benefits Djokovic has enjoyed his whole career, and Djokovic himself has talked about how lucky he’s been to perform at such a high level and to have the kind of career he’s had.

Djokovic’s struggles mainly stick out in comparison to other tennis pros, but tennis is basically a rich person’s sport so its players are pretty much among the most pampered athletes out there; thus, it doesn’t really merit a comparison to other athletes, especially those from previous eras who had far less access to the benefits of modern sports (for example, the relative lack of racial discrimination to list a particularly striking one).
You're just repeating what is already been said by other posters in the thread so you're not adding anything original to the conversation. No I don't think Djokovic's story is the most compelling in sports. I can think of people getting in bad car accidents and getting severely hurt and coming back and winning gold at the Olympics, and quite a few other stories. Those are more inspirational. However, it's not like Djokovic had it easy so this stuff about him being coached by Gencic means he had it great is nonsense. His family had to take out loans from sharks and send him alone to live in other countries to get where he is, when he outgrew Gencic.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
You're just repeating what is already been said by other posters in the thread so you're not adding anything original to the conversation. No I don't think Djokovic's story is the most compelling in sports. I can think of people getting in bad car accidents and getting severely hurt and coming back and winning gold at the Olympics, and quite a few other stories. Those are more inspirational. However, it's not like Djokovic had it easy so this stuff about him being coached by Gencic means he had it great is nonsense. His family had to take out loans from sharks and send him alone to live in other countries to get where he is, when he outgrew Gencic.
No one said he had it easy. Many athletes dont. Do you even know who Jackie Robinson is? Or Jesse Owens? Or many many others who broke the color barrier in the USA? And that's just the USA. Randy Arozarena floated on a freaking raft from Cuba to Mexico just to even get a low percentage chance of ever playing in Major League Baseball. He had nothing. Like no money. Nothing.
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
You're just repeating what is already been said by other posters in the thread so you're not adding anything original to the conversation. No I don't think Djokovic's story is the most compelling in sports. I can think of people getting in bad car accidents and getting severely hurt and coming back and winning gold at the Olympics, and quite a few other stories. Those are more inspirational. However, it's not like Djokovic had it easy so this stuff about him being coached by Gencic means he had it great is nonsense. His family had to take out loans from sharks and send him alone to live in other countries to get where he is, when he outgrew Gencic.
Ok, then you’re not the subject of my comment.

My response was rather directed at those who genuinely do believe it, like the thread OP and everyone who liked it.

Djokovic has not had it easy. He has also not had it very hard. Only very hard compared to most other tennis players.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Not even close, literally not even comparable. Did anyone talk about late 90s Kobe? He also won early and Shaq was the lightning rod of the entire team, and also the better player. Their career arcs are not even close.

Kobe did get a lot of hate for the Colorado rape case and the subsequent Shaq fallout but I swear man. His 2004 finals was almost as bad as 2011 and do you EVER hear people bring up his 2004 finals or the fact he missed the playoffs in 05?

If LBJ did that in the middle of his prime…

It’s not close.

He has an ego for sure but I wonder why he has it. Could be that hyping a player to high heavens and placing insane expectation on him at age 14 and quite literally making him the savior of the NBA had some unintended consequences. Djokovic has had a lot of arrogant moments on court by the way.

There is an entire multimillion dollar media enterprise based around criticizing LeBron compared to Jordan lol. Daily TV and radio shows have filled the airwaves with LeBron hate as the center for decades now.

It’s not comparable man it’s just not. It’s legitimately not even close when we talk about scale.
Did anyone talk about 90s Kobe? You're joking right. You're a Lebron fan and from what I see, don't really like Kobe so there's no point in engaging in this debate because it won't go anywhere. Lol

Or it could be because of proclaiming yourself "The King" and other arrogant comments, comparing yourself so hard to Jordan your entire career and putting yourself on that level (when you should have waited until you reached that level) and many other things. Calling yourself the GOAT is one of those things.

I'm not saying he doesn't get a lot of hate, because he gets plenty. I'm just saying he caused a lot of it himself. I guess you could say the same for Djokovic in recent times but not back in 2015 and 2016 when he was getting negative press.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Ok, then you’re not the subject of my comment.

My response was rather directed at those who genuinely do believe it, like the thread OP and everyone who liked it.

Djokovic has not had it easy. He has also not had it very hard. Only very hard compared to most other tennis players.
Ok fair enough.
 

Poisoned Slice

Bionic Poster
Greatest UTD player.
To be fair to him. Alex Ferguson said in the past that he only ever managed four world-class players at United. Cantona, Giggs, Scholes and Ronaldo. Much higher standards than me, of course. I'd be having Schmeichel, Van Der Sar and that's just going with the goalkeepers.
 

Chopin

Legend

This guy really made what seemed impossible possible despite everything that was thrown in his face.

Casuals might not even aware of it but Djokovic is on another level entirely. Even compared to his greatest rivals.

Like really he had 4 Slams robbed since 2020 and he still ended up at the top. The slam race could have been easily at 27-21-20.

What a story and what an inspirational man!

I understand why someone might be inspired by Djokovic, but the Twitter user who describes Novak as the greatest sports story in tennis history and implies that he overcame challenges that are somehow singularly daunting (edit: sports history) in tennis history lacks education. You could pick any number of athletes who faced and overcame adversity, but just to take one example from tennis: Althea Gibson. I'll share an article about her later.
 
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NoleFam

Bionic Poster
No one said he had it easy. Many athletes dont. Do you even know who Jackie Robinson is? Or Jesse Owens? Or many many others who broke the color barrier in the USA? And that's just the USA. Randy Arozarena floated on a freaking raft from Cuba to Mexico just to even get a low percentage chance of ever playing in Major League Baseball. He had nothing. Like no money. Nothing.
Of course I know who's these people are and their stories are more compelling as well. Add Althea Gibson to that list.
 

Rattie

Legend
I'm not saying that's the reason all the people that dislike him dislike him, because we all just don't like everyone for one reason or another, but the media played a large role in that in my opinion. One thing is for sure, he was much more liked early on.
Maybe. That’s your perspective. Mine is that loads of people disliked him from the off. He was a bit of a Rune type character as I recall.
 

weakera

Talk Tennis Guru

I can see I'm talking to a Lebron fanatic with blinders on. Serious blinders.

Lebron's literally talking about how coming back from 3-1 against gsw made him FEEL. He's not saying that's his official ranking :-D

I'm not a LeBron fanatic, I'm a LeBron hater lol. I think he's a lowlife sellout scumbag (for very non-basketball reasons), I grew up a Lakers fan loving Kobe and begrudgingly accept his Lakers presence. Unlike you, I'm an objective party in this conversation and I can recognize his greatness despite disliking him.

His arrogance is non-existent compared to Djokovic's.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Maybe. That’s your perspective. Mine is that loads of people disliked him from the off. He was a bit of a Rune type character as I recall.
They loved Djokovic at the 2007 USO, 2008 AO, etc. They cheered for him more in that 2007 USO match than they did for Federer.
 

RaulRamirez

Legend
The only time I would say this might be comparable was in 2020-22 with the COVID anti vaccine and deportation stuff. But I’d say that was hardly a criticism of him as a tennis player, so to speak, and was largely unrelated to his standing in the tennis pantheon.

And even then, the Decision Era LeBron was treated 10x more unfairly and hated much more.

It’s just not really comparable. Djokovic’s biggest complaint is that he played in an era with two more popular players before him who took a bit of the limelight and adoration. LeBron’s biggest complaint is that every single day of his life he’s had hit pieces, true hatred, and millions praying on his downfall.
I wasn't going to jump into this thread, and I don't agree with all of the premise of the OP. I will agree that he did overcome a lot relative to many top champions in their sports, but there are other examples of those who overcame more adversity (in my opinion) to rise to the top.

With LeBron, he has faced some harsh criticism but also universal adulation. As hoops is a bigger sport than tennis (in the US, and worldwide) it may have dwarfed what Novak has received, both good and bad. I like Lebron, and he is in the GOAT conversation. He's a good guy, but he has brought some of the backlash he's received upon himself -- "we are witnesses"; "The Decision" "Not one, not two, etc." That doesn't make him a bad guy...I sense he's a good guy...but he has talked about himself as the 'GOAT" and amazing as he still is at his age (sound familiar/), to most, he doesn't have the charisma of a Jordan or a Kobe. Better than? I always thought he was better than (the late, great) Kobe and there's a case to be made v. Jordan, but still lean to Mike (and to Wilt).

Novak has brought some of the backlash upon himself, at least starting with the Covid era, but you can tell from many matches how the crowd went overboard for Fed (2015 USO and 2019 Wimby among the examples) but it's gone beyond crowd reaction to his coverage among some (not all) in the media. Per LeBron, he's had some who genuflect at his every move and then high-paid trolls like Skip Bayless who make a lot of $ from bashing him. Overall, I think he's been treated fairly.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Lebron's literally talking about how coming back from 3-1 against gsw made him FEEL. He's not saying that's his official ranking :-D

I'm not a LeBron fanatic, I'm a LeBron hater lol. I think he's a lowlife sellout scumbag (for very non-basketball reasons), I grew up a Lakers fan loving Kobe and begrudgingly accept his Lakers presence. Unlike you, I'm an objective party in this conversation and I can recognize his greatness despite disliking him.

His arrogance is non-existent compared to Djokovic's.
Yea sure. I show you the evidence and you pretend that's not what he just said. Never said anything about Lebron not being great. He is an amazing ball player and no less than top 3. Your hate for Djokovic just outweighs your hate for Lebron for reasons that are well known. This is clear if you think Djokovic is more arrogant than this guy. Lol
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
I wasn't going to jump into this thread, and I don't agree with all of the premise of the OP. I will agree that he did overcome a lot relative to many top champions in their sports, but there are other examples of those who overcame more adversity (in my opinion) to rise to the top.

With LeBron, he has faced some harsh criticism but also universal adulation. As hoops is a bigger sport than tennis (in the US, and worldwide) it may have dwarfed what Novak has received, both good and bad. I like Lebron, and he is in the GOAT conversation. He's a good guy, but he has brought some of the backlash he's received upon himself -- "we are witnesses"; "The Decision" "Not one, not two, etc." That doesn't make him a bad guy...I sense he's a good guy...but he has talked about himself as the 'GOAT" and amazing as he still is at his age (sound familiar/), to most, he doesn't have the charisma of a Jordan or a Kobe. Better than? I always thought he was better than (the late, great) Kobe and there's a case to be made v. Jordan, but still lean to Mike (and to Wilt).

Novak has brought some of the backlash upon himself, at least starting with the Covid era, but you can tell from many matches how the crowd went overboard for Fed (2015 USO and 2019 Wimby among the examples) but it's gone beyond crowd reaction to his coverage among some (not all) in the media. Per LeBron, he's had some who genuflect at his every move and then high-paid trolls like Skip Bayless who make a lot of $ from bashing him. Overall, I think he's been treated fairly.
Complete, concise, correct.
 

Rattie

Legend
They loved Djokovic at the 2007 USO, 2008 AO, etc. They cheered for him more in that 2007 USO match than they did for Federer.
I will take your word for it. The point is, it’s the bigger picture long term and he often shoots himself in the foot….regularly!
 

weakera

Talk Tennis Guru
Yea sure. I show you the evidence and you pretend that's not what he just said. Never said anything about Lebron not being great. He is an amazing ball player and no less than top 3. Your hate for Djokovic just outweighs your hate for Lebron for reasons that are well known. This is clear if you think Djokovic is more arrogant than this guy. Lol


I don't 'think' he's more arrogant, he's more arrogant. And it's not even close. Your throwaway clip is worthless unless you choose to view it from a deliberately dishonest angle. You are incapable of being objective as an eggbot, and believe me, in my youth, I hated LeBron hundreds of times more than I have ever felt anything negative about Djokovic lol

You narrowed in on that clip anyway because I was beating your brains in from every other angle. LeBron is booed wherever he goes and there has never been an athlete treated more unfairly by the media. As most Djokovic fans admit, Novak has brought so much of his own criticisms on himself. LeBron has literally never gotten a totally positive reception outside of his home crowds.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
I will take your word for it. The point is, it’s the bigger picture long term and he often shoots himself in the foot….regularly!
Yea he has caused some of it himself in the last 3 years, no doubt. I'm talking about before that though.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
I don't 'think' he's more arrogant, he's more arrogant. And it's not even close. Your throwaway clip is worthless unless you choose to view it from a deliberately dishonest angle. You are incapable of being objective as an eggbot, and believe me, in my youth, I hated LeBron hundreds of times more than I have ever felt anything negative about Djokovic lol

You narrowed in on that clip anyway because I was beating your brains in from every other angle. LeBron is booed wherever he goes and there has never been an athlete treated more unfairly by the media. As most Djokovic fans admit, Novak has brought so much of his own criticisms on himself. LeBron has literally never gotten a totally positive reception outside of his home crowds.
So I guess the majority of the people who saw it the way I do viewed it from a dishonest angle as well. You can't find me 5 clips of Djokovic that would sound more arrogant than Lebron's top 5. Funny you think I have no capacity to be objective when you're a past severe Federer hater who overnight became a Djokovic hater once he became the main threat to Nadal's GOATness. You have no credibility here. Take a look in the mirror at yourself instead.

And Lebron hasn't brought any upon himself right? Your bias is visible a mile away.
 

weakera

Talk Tennis Guru
So I guess the majority of the people who saw it the way I do viewed it from a dishonest angle as well. You can't find me 5 clips of Djokovic that would sound more arrogant than Lebron's top 5. Funny you think I have no capacity to be objective when you're a past severe Federer hater who overnight became a Djokovic hater once he became the main threat to Nadal's GOATness. You have no credibility here. Take a look in the mirror at yourself instead.

And Lebron hasn't brought any upon himself right? Your bias is visible a mile away.

What has LeBron brought upon himself? He is perhaps the least controversial athlete of all-time from an objective standpoint. Djokovic is one of the most, for inarguable reasons. It's obvious that you're incapable of objective analysis here but you're going way too far and losing the script.
 
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