The former director of the tennis department at Nike, Mike Nakajima, believes that there is a “black cloud” hovering around Novak Djokovic, which the Serb brought on himself, and this has a negative effect on the image of the world leader.

Novak Djokovic, surrounded by a “black cloud”

While Nakajima believes Djokovic could become the greatest tennis player of all time, he suggested the Serb would never be as attractive to firms as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

He argued that major brands would not want to be associated with a player who is often at the center of controversy and would instead prefer to work with someone who has a clean image.

The comments appeared in the book The Roger Federer Effect by Simon Kembers and Simon Graf.

“He could very well become the most successful tennis player of all time. But there is always a dark cloud around. As if he calls it himself.

Hitting a linesman at the US Open (2020) and getting disqualified? I suspect it still happens. But why does this always happen to Novak? Or the whole controversy surrounding vaccination against Covid-19.

Now, as a brand: do I want to be behind someone who always has controversy surrounding him? Or do I want to go with an athlete with a clean image?” – Mike Nakajimaquoted by Sportskeeda.

A year ago, Nakajima commented on Djokovic’s expulsion from Australia: “Congratulations, Australia. Kyrie (Irving) and Novak will eventually come to their senses. After all, it’s all about money.”

In SportsPro’s list of the world’s most in-demand athletes in 2022, Djokovic was ranked 46th, behind Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Emma Reducan, Federer and Nadal.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the perfect players for big brands

Nakajima believes that Roger Federer has always been the most “marketable” of the BIG 3 because he has focused more on that aspect of his career.

“I’m not sure Rafa wants to be the highest paid in the world. I don’t think he cares. Rafa is Rafa, he performed extremely well and I don’t think he needs anything else.

Roger wanted to be sold, so he was always reaching out to different brands, audiences and consumer groups. And his management company did a great job. He is able to appeal to any audience. And people believe that he is telling the truth, regardless of what Roger teaches. It’s so believable” – Mike Nakajima.

The former Nike boss still regrets Federer leaving the company in 2018 to sign with Uniqlo: “It should never have happened. For us to let someone like him go is cruel.”

Patrick Muratoglu: “I prefer a real person”

“To answer Nakashima about Naik and Novak: whether we agree or not, whether we like Novak or not, I personally prefer a real person with his qualities, beliefs and flaws, rather than a perfect image and false perfection. To sanctify perfection is to deny our human condition” – Patrick Muratogluon Twitter.