There is a truth to it. Djokovic can play excellent defense and because of it Djokovic often adjust his style to what he thinks gives him the best chance of beating the opponent. Against some opponents he would go into defensive, but that is all tactical and smart tennis, which some people confuse with playing defensive style.
His general style is aggressive attacking baseline game. That is clear to all unbiased tennis fans. Only blind fanboys of other players mark him as "defensive grinder or retriever".
Chico, you're not the only one on this forum watching Djokovic play and you don't have special insight into his style that the rest of us can't observe. I think the problem and the confusion in this discussion stems from him being both - both offensive and defensive and probably having the best balance between the two. What's his bread and butter? That's the issue. And on that, I agree with MN below:
Djokovic is patient during rallies and trusts himself to go as long as it takes, but I wouldn't class him as a defensive baseliner.
That said Chico... he IS a wall a lot of the time, and there's nothing wrong with that statement, lighten up. He's more of a wall than a "shotmaker".
Imo, Djoko's defense is the no. 1 thing that got him to world no. 1 - just as it is with Rafa. Both are able to take control of a rally and hit ridiculous winners, but what separates them from the rest is primarily their insane defense imo. But both of them have become more offensive and are trying to be more offensive (see also the quote from Netspirit and Djoko coming to the net more).
As to Djokovic, he's obviously quite a bit more offensive than Rafa, which is shown in his court-position (closer to or even on the baseline), his net-play (goes there more often) and his willingness to go for winners and point-enders earlier than Rafa as well as generally playing closer to the lines.
^ they need to open their ears:
http://youtu.be/jgxrD1iT9lY?t=44s
...and eyes:
Good points, but see more below.
Djokovic, when he plays against Federer (and other offensive players, such as del Potro, Wawrinka), does nothing except block balls back.
Only Safin, at the peak of his game, beat prime Federer with shotmaking, but he had to stave off match points—Federer squandered his one match point with a tweener—enroute to his victory.
Robbie Koenig: "Federer–Djokovic matches are always great, because you have one of the greatest defenders of all time (Djokovic) playing against one of the greatest all-court attacking players of all time (Federer)."
Great quote.
But again, against a lot of players, Djoko will be the offensive player, so I can understand why Chico doesn't want him grouped with Murray and Rafa cause he is more offensive than both. But when he's up against a shot-maker, he's doing the majority of the defending and making them hit those extra shots (while also being offensive, when he gets the chance). It may exist, but I cannot recall a Fed-Djoko match, where Fed wasn't the one doing most of the attacking.
Djoko after their WTF-final in 2012:
Q. Among the more than 80 games you played this year, where would you rate the level of this one?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was playing really great tennis throughout the whole week. The first match, you know, still feeling a little bit rusty on the court. But I won against Andy. That was a big confidence booster for me. You know, every match after that I felt like I played really very close to the top of my game.
And tonight, you know,
whenever I needed to, to come up with some really good shots, really focus myself and get every ball back in the court, I've done that. So I cannot be more thrilled than I'm feeling now.
Q. Can you describe the feeling of finishing the most incredible year with the most incredible shot.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. It's best way to finish the match, I guess, with a passing shot ‑ one of my favorite shots. I wasn't intending to get him on the net.
I tried to stay in the rally and get more aggressive in that rally. But, you know, he came in. That was the only space left for me to make a passing shot, and I made it.
Q. You won without losing a match. Do you think you made Roger anxious, to try to hit so much, too much, because he made so many mistakes with the forehand?
Do you think it was your patience?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The level was very high. I thought that we both played really well. The momentum was changing, coming to his side and my side throughout the match.
I knew that the only way for me to really win the match is to be consistently focused and committed to every point. You know, he's somebody that is very aggressive, that likes to finish his points very quickly. Especially when he's a break up, he's probably the best player I've played ever against. He comes up always with his A game when he's up. It's very difficult to handle that.
But, you know,
I managed to get a lot of his shots back into the court, being passive, a couple meters behind the baseline, coming into an aggressive position. That was one of the goals tonight, to always try to get him into the longer rallies where I think I had the better chance.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/batpwtf/News/Tennis/2012/Interviews/London-Final-Djokovic.aspx
Edit: Chico, as to their Wimbledon and other stats, one of the reasons why Djoko is leading in winners off the ground is that he's better at getting a racquet on any ball, so Fed's winner turns into an unforced error. Another is that Fed comes to the net so much, so Djoko is forced to come up with passing shots winners, but wouldn't you say Fed's the one doing the attacking then? I do think Djoko plays pretty aggressive vs. Fed, which is one of the reasons why I love their matches - I think both of them make each other better and brings out the best in each other when they play
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