Twenty-four hours following the announcement of the retirement of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic finally joined the many tributes paid the day before to the tennis legend on Friday.
In a message posted on his Instagram account, Novak Djokovic mentioned “over a decade of incredible moments and clashes” with Roger Federer.
“Roger, it’s difficult to live this and to put into words all that we have shared in this sport together“, wrote the Serb on the social network, the day following a shower of tributes from the world of tennis and sport.
“Your career has set the tone for what it means to achieve excellence and dominate with integrity and composure.” adds Djokovic, who has made an appointment with Federer in London for the next Laver Cup (September 23-25 in London). The Serb will be part of the European team made up of Roger Federer – who will play his last competition there, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, the Scot whose reaction to Federer’s retirement is still pending.
Djokovic, one of the Swiss’ great rivals with Rafael Nadal, did not post any comments on his Twitter and Instagram accounts on Thursday, unlike the Spaniard, who praised his “friend and rival“and confessed that he would have”wish that day never comes“.
The silence of “Djoko” had sparked debates on social networks, and even surprised the Serbian media, like the daily Kurir. “Novak’s message to Federer is missing“, headlined the newspaper on its website, evoking a “Nole always silent“.
Djokovic, however, was very admiring a few years ago regarding Federer’s talent (“Impossible not to wonder if he is from the same planet“).
