Federer reflects on Djokovic's blossoming: "I wasn't really convinced".

Since his retirement, Roger Federer has been talking more and more freely about his career, but also about his perception of his various rivals. The man who inspired several generations of tennis fans and took the sport to a whole new level has taken a closer look at one of his greatest rivals: Novak Djokovic.

On this subject, he was very honest, confessing that he didn't really take the Serb seriously when he started to make a name for himself: "The first time I played him in Monaco (Federer won in 2006 6-3, 2-6, 6-3), I walked off the court thinking, 'Yes, okay, he's all right'. Despite the buzz around him, I wasn't really convinced.

I think I didn't give Novak the respect he deserved because of his technical shortcomings. His forehand grip was very extreme and his backhand, for me, wasn't as fluid as it is today. But he has corrected these faults and become an incredible player.

I think he's been a bit misunderstood. I look beyond the media and see the man he is. An exceptional man."