Six-time major winner Boris Becker has said that tennis must “wake up to the greatness” of Novak Djokovic following his 16th Grand Slam title win at Wimbledon on Sunday.
World No.1 Djokovic, 32, defeated Swiss great Roger Federer 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3) to win his fifth title at the All England Club, the first of which came in 2011.
And Becker, who coached Djokovic from 2013 to 2016, believes the Serbian deserves more respect, having been a clear second-favourite to Federer among the fans at Centre Court.
“It triggered him to fight in the fifth set,” Becker told the BBC. “He got a bit riled and gave some stares to people in the crowd but that’s how he works, that’s how he ticks.
“Federer is the greatest of all-time here and has the right to get that love, but on the other side you have to respect a four-time champion a little bit more.”
Federer, 37, has won the most men’s major singles titles in history with a total of 20, just two in front of Spanish rival Rafael Nadal, and four more than Djokovic.
“I hope next year, if they played again, it would be more even,” Becker said.
“He came into the party that was the Roger and Rafa party and he became the party pooper.
“Now, after 16 majors, people have got to wake up to the greatness of Novak Djokovic.”