George Russell says he won’t imitate Lewis Hamilton to become a great, gives an example of how different Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic are
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George Russell, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic
The Big 3- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have ruled the tennis world for almost 2 decades now and are continuing to do so even today despite being at the end of their respective careers. They have won a total of 63 major titles amongst themselves and have redefined consistency in the tennis world.
Despite having tasted success at their pinnacle, there is still a striking difference between the three of them and how they play tennis. Federer has a very elegant game style with a smooth big serve and sharp baseline strokes. He indulges in short rallies and tends to amaze fans with his flare.
As for Nadal, he has a totally different style of play than Federer. The Spaniard rides on ruthless aggression with big strong groundstrokes infused with a lot of topspin. He has a never say never attitude like anyone else and is probably the best in any sport when it comes to mental toughness.
Djokovic, on the other hand, is totally a different player. He has a great work ethic and has a very robotic and disciplined game. He is the best returner the sport has ever seen and his aggression is second to none.
‘I think to be the best, or to at least be the best version of yourself’: George Russell
Mercedes’ F1 driver, George Russell recently raised a very interesting perspective. On asked whether he wants to imitate his teammate and F1 legend Lewis Hamilton, he countered by saying that we’ve got three of the greatest tennis players of all time playing in the same era with three different approached and all of them have tasted silverware at the highest level.
“You’ve got probably the three greatest tennis players of all time, with three totally different approaches to their game,” Russell said on the Formula 1 Beyond the Grid podcast. “I think to be the best, or to at least be the best version of yourself, you shouldn’t go out there and copy what the best has done.”
Russell said that Hamilton is the best because he’s got the best out of himself. He once again questioned- In tennis whom to copy- Nadal, Federer or Djokovic? He concluded by saying that you’ve got to do what suits you the best.
“He’s (Hamilton’s) the best because he’s got the best out of himself and whatever he does works for him,” Russell said. “In the world of tennis, who do you copy? Do you copy Nadal? Do you copy Federer? Do you copy Djokovic? Obviously, in the world of motorsport, there’s only Lewis for now, but that analogy made me think, ‘You just need to do what’s right for you’, as those three greats in tennis have done,” he said.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2648 Articles Published)