Novak Djokovic, a 10-time Australian Open champion, addressed recent controversy surrounding his choice of word for world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a GQ magazine interview. When asked to associate one word with his rivals, Djokovic selected “elegance” for Federer, “tenacity” for Nadal, “charisma” for Alcaraz, and “skiing” for Sinner.
This sparked online backlash, with some perceiving it as disrespectful to the Italian star. Sinner deflected when asked about the remark, suggesting reporters “ask him.”
Djokovic clarified the context during a press conference, stating, “I’ve seen it on social media being made into some drama. That’s ridiculous. It was a quiz-type interview, and Sinner’s name brought up an image of him skiing, as we often talk about skiing together.”
The Serb emphasized his respect for Sinner’s dominance, saying, “His playing style and achievements deserve every praise. It’s rubbish to think I disrespected him.”
Both players could potentially meet in the Australian Open final. Djokovic begins against American Nishesh Basavareddy, while Sinner faces Chile’s Nicolas Jarry. The tournament starts Sunday.
Novak Djokovic in 2025
Currently the world no.7, Novak played his last match on the 3rd of January when he surrendered to world no.171 Reilly Opelka 7-6(6) 6-3 in the quarter in Brisbane (draw).
Currently, during this year Novak has managed to achieve a 2-1 win-loss record.
Novak Djokovic will compete against the world no.133 Nishesh Basavareddy in the 1st round on Monday at 7:00 pm on Rod Laver Arena. They have never played each other as of now in top events.
Novak won 100 titles in his career: 53 on hard courts, 20 on clay courts, 19 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Novak Djokovic |
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