Boris Becker reacts to Novak Djokovic saying how he was 'hurt' by Federer and Nadal-centric tennis ecosystem in early days

Novak Djokovic recently opened up about feeling ‘hurt’ by the Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal-centric tennis ecosystem in his early days. Reacting to this statement, Boris Becker was quick to show his agreement with the Serb.

Djokovic first made waves in the tennis world in 2007, when he began to claim victories over Federer and Nadal. By 2008, he had won his first Grand Slam title and by 2010 he had disrupted Federer and Nadal's duopoly at the top. Looking back on these days, the 38-year-old recently opened up about feeling ‘hurt’ during his early career, saying in an episode of ‘Neuspjeh prvaka’,

“Federer and Nadal come from two Western powers. I showed up from Serbia and said out loud that I was going to be number one. The whole system didn't like that: media, sponsors, tournaments. I felt like an unwanted guest crashing their party. It really hurt me back then.” “They wanted me to play to their tune — be politically correct, fit into their script. It hurt me so much that I even changed my behavior, hoping they'd accept me. In the end, I understood that I had to stay true to myself and accept that some people will never like me. And that's fine. I am who I am and I sleep peacefully.”

Reacting to Novak Djokovic's statement, Boris Becker dropped a two-word reaction on X, writing,

“Word Nole.”

Becker and Djokovic share a close bond on and off the tennis court. The German coached the 24-time Grand Slam champion for three years between 2013 and 2016, leading him to two Australian Open, Wimbledon Championships and ATP Finals titles, as well as one French Open and US Open triumph.

Novak Djokovic to return to action in Adelaide

Djokovic at the Hellenic Championship (Image Source: Getty)

Novak Djokovic enjoyed a strong showing in his 2025 season. While a 25th Grand Slam trophy stayed out of reach for the Serb, he made it to the semifinals of all four Majors, and won his 100th and 101st ATP Tour titles.

Now, Djokovic will begin his 2026 season at the Adelaide International. The ATP 250 event is scheduled to take place between January 12 and 17, with the entry list featuring the likes of Tommy Paul, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Joao Fonseca, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and more.

Novak Djokovic has previously won the Adelaide International trophy in 2007 and 2023. The last time the Serb claimed a triumph in Adelaide, he went on to win the Australian Open and it remains to be seen if he can repeat the feat this time around.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya