'I know Novak Djokovic is jealous of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – I've played them all'

Tennis legend Tim Henman thinks Novak Djokovic "craves" something Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have. This is despite the fact that the Serbian has more Grand Slam titles than his iconic counterparts. Nonetheless, he's never received the same sort of widespread adulation that Federer and Nadal have over the course of their legendary careers, and Henman reckons Djokovic might be a touch jealous. The 37-year-old was booed off court after retiring just a set into his Australian Open semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev due to a hamstring problem. Djokovic had been jeered and pilloried by the crowd throughout the tournament, something Henman branded "indefensible".

"I think the fans got it totally wrong," he told the Express. "For someone who is going for their 11th Australian Open title, their 25th slam, to pull out after a set, he's obviously in a bad way. For him to be booed in that moment is pretty indefensible.". That said, the former British No. 1 did acknowledge that Djokovic's behaviour often didn't help matters. "I'm not on social media, but what I hear goes on with him and his fans, it's chaos, isn't it?" he said. "And there have been times when he's probably attracted that. But he absolutely doesn't deserve to be booed off court after he's had to retire.".

Continuing, Henman suggested that a desire to be as loved as Federer and Nadal was fuelling Djokovic's abrasive antics. "I think if you dig a bit deeper, in my opinion, he's always craved the affection that's been shown to Federer and Nadal. And some people, I guess, don't like that, that he behaves in that way," Henman added. "But that whole thing isn't really my scene. You look at what he's achieved, you look at almost every stat and he's the best in all of them. He's phenomenal.".

Djokovic has always had a complicated relationship with tennis fans, with his on-court swagger and relentless competitiveness stirring up mixed feelings. While some laud his steely determination and unwavering spirit, others are put off by his assertiveness, particularly when comparing him to Federer and Nadal. Tensions truly escalated during the Covid-19 vaccine controversy in 2022, when the Belgrade native's stance made him a polarising figure beyond the sport. Since then, the hostility toward him has only grown, and now, almost everywhere he plays, he finds himself cast as tennis' ultimate villain.

Despite the uproar, Djokovic's record speaks volumes: he's won more Grand Slams than any other male player, and is just one victory shy of dethroning Margaret Court as, statistically, the most successful tennis player of all time. Yet, with the clock ticking, injuries accruing, and his physical prowess in question, 2025 might well be a case of now or never in terms of reaching top spot. Henman, who lost his one and only encounter with Djokovic back in 2006, reached six Grand Slam semi-finals during his career, but never made it to a final. He did, however, clinch 11 ATP singles titles, and was British No. 1 for eight straight years until Andy Murray took over the mantle in 2005.