© Getty Images Sport – Mark Kolbe
Coach Patrick Mouratoglou says Novak Djokovic thinking and believing he could beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was “confidence” and not cockiness as some portrayed it.
In 2007, Djokovic started establishing himself as one of the best players on the ATP Tour. At the time, Federer and Nadal were dominating and were widely considered the two best players in the game.
Mouratoglou, who famously worked with Serena Williams for 10 years, claims there were top-10 players at the time saying it was “impossible to win a Grand Slam” with Federer and Nadal around. But Djokovic was able to do it as he became a Grand Slam champion at the 2008 Australian Open. Djokovic, who has always been very open about his highest possible goals, now has 24 Grand Slams and he is the all-time Slam record owner.
Mouratoglou on Djokovic: Not cockiness but confidence
“A lot of players don’t believe that they can beat Rafa and Novak at all. Some others think they cannot beat them in a Grand Slam. So what is impossible to envision is impossible to do. It’s as simple as that. And the champions are able to not foresee any limits within themselves. That’s the big difference….
