Novak Djokovic deserves more respect for domination, says Mark Petchey
Sunday 22 November 2015 15:57, UK
Novak Djokovic is more complex than the icy winning machine that he is often portrayed as, says Mark Petchey .
Djokovic is well-known for his cold demeanor as world No 1, having reached his 15th consecutive final at the ATP World Tour Finals to continue a dominant 2015 that has yielded three Grand Slams.
The 28-year-old thrashed Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-3 in an alarmingly one-sided contest at the O2 Arena on Saturday but Sky Sports expert Petchey says that comparing him to a faultless engine is unfairly ignoring the talent and work-rate that make his results possible.
This guy is a human being who paints masterpieces on the best courts in the world.
Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals
"I read too make articles about robots, machines - this, that and the other," Petchey told Sky Sports.
"We never had that when Nadal was dominating or when Roger Federer was dominating.
"Nobody was writing that word. It's massively disrespectful to Novak that anybody associates those words with his performance.
"This guy is a human being who paints masterpieces on the best courts in the world.
"People need to start appreciating the value of that, and just how difficult it is to do what he did. He makes it look easy."
Sky Sports expert Peter Fleming believes Djokovic doesn't get enough credit for his brilliance because the likes of Federer and Nadal are more popular with the fans.
Federer and Nadal still enjoy the adulation of a generation of fans who remember their reigns as world No 1, Fleming believes, but Djokovic will eventually get his due.
He said: "That's what Novak is up against. Hopefully he realises that and, as difficult as it is to swallow, he can accept that.
"In my era we had Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe who were reviled by huge sections of the tennis community. Now look at them! Jonny Mac walks on water.
"I have a feeling that those days will come for Novak. He'll have to be patient."
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