You and Me Could Have a Sad Bromance.
Posted by gauloises1 on January 31, 2011
Q. Did you speak English back when you were 11? Could you talk to him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I had it in school so already I knew some basic things. Back then, yeah, we were speaking kind of more with the signs, you know, hands and legs and stuff (smiling). He was using more of a Scottish accent, so he was really hard to understand.
Q. You also played doubles with him.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He had the hair (laughter).
[...] Q. Now is it hard to balance the friendship and the professional rivalry or do you achieve that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I sent him a message yesterday after his semifinal saying like, Perth final, because we practiced in Perth a couple times this year. We had fun. We played football there. He won, unfortunately.
It’s fun. It’s been a fun couple of weeks. I think we, as well, reconnected a little bit with the friendship in the last 12 months.
Well, we have to forget about all that when we step on the court. It’s all business. I’m sure he’s going to be very eager to win a first Grand Slam title.
“I was letting it [our friendship] go in the last few months and allowing Andy to feel what he wants to feel about our relationship, as friends,” Djokovic said. “If he thinks we should be friends regularly and hang out more or not.”
“That was more or less on him to decide because I always liked him as a person. We grew up together playing junior events, we knew each other really well and had a lot of fun.
“But then we basically came up to the top of tennis at the same time and were rivals. At some stage we were playing a lot of matches against each other and now we haven’t played for a long time.
“Right now I feel we are getting closer because we grew up and this period of three, four years being at the top of men’s tennis has kind of passed and now we know that OK, we are rivals, that’s obvious. But off the court it doesn’t mean that we can’t have dinner or play golf or things like that.
“I definitely wish him to have it [a first grand-slam title] because I think he deserves it. He has all he needs to have in order to be a champion.”
Rah, rah, uncontrollable weeping.
irefusetotellyou said
I love me some bromances (such that I have a whole folder on my computer featuring photogs of great post-match hugs at the net).
…although I didn’t really know of this (supposed) Nole/Muzz BFFness. Has this REALLY BEEN A THING or have I just been oblivious?
(Probable answer: I have been oblivious)
naughty T....urbane gentleman said
Well to your credit you have probably been ignoring all things Muzzardly. well done.
But yes they were close as youngsters and then drifted apart… and now they have drifted back together… rediscovered the love as it were.