“He won’t be on the front page of L’Equipe, I’m sure of it,” French journalist questions if Novak Djokovic would be welcomed in a similar manner as Rafael Nadal following the Spaniard’s comeback news

Benoit Maylin feels that people are giving too much priority to Rafael Nadal's comeback and stated that Novak Djokovic would have been treated the same way.

“He won’t be on the front page of L’Equipe, I’m sure of it,” French journalist questions if Novak Djokovic would be welcomed in a similar manner as Rafael Nadal following the Spaniard’s comeback news

(L-R) Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. (credits: Tennis365, Tennishead)

With the 2023 season in the finishing stages, every single tennis player would be getting themselves back into place for an even better start next year. But the return to court for one of tennis’s greatest ever warriors makes next year yet more exciting and memorable.

Rafael Nadal has confirmed that he will be featured right from the very start of next year, with the challenge of finishing his career on a high set to begin at the Brisbane International.

YouTube video

During a show named Sans Filet, one of the journalists, Benoit Maylin, talked about how the entire media team has gotten the Nadal story right on the very first page of every single newspaper. With that being said, Maylin also talked about how things would have panned out quite differently had it been Novak Djokovic in place of the Spaniard. 

FS Video

Maylin said:

We want him(Nadal) to come back but the problem is that we are in absolute romanticism. And it's very strange because I'm sure that if Djokovic gets injured, doesn't play for a year and comes back, he won't be on the front page of L'Equipe, I'm sure of it. There, he is the messiah, the phoenix of tennis, the guy who will never die. We’re making a film about it but it might not be a good film.

Maylin feels that people are giving too much priority to Nadal’s comeback and that he has always had a high place in the hearts of tennis fanatics. Moreover, he shared how Djokovic would have been treated the same way by the media had he been out of action for over a year, and his return wouldn’t have generated the same amount of attraction and interest. 

What was Maylin’s insight into things being overstretched for Rafael Nadal

Benoit Maylin also had his reasons clear on why he feels that the occasion of Nadal’s return is being overstretched by the tennis industry. He talked about how Nadal is not half the player he used to be and that the gap of over a year has left him far behind the current brand of players.

On account of his surgery, Maylin also felt that every single player would now want to face Nadal in order to get himself in the headlines by beating the Spaniard. 

Rafael Nadal in action during the match. (credits: Sportsnet)

Maylin also feels that whenever Nadal steps onto the court now, he is going to get thrashed. Moreover, there is very little truth to Maylin’s statements, and it is quite evident from the training session footage of Nadal how far off he is from reaching the level he was before.

Despite that, the media are romanticizing his return, which Maylin has remarked is too much out of proportion.

In case you missed it: