‘Totally opposite’ – John McEnroe explains Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic mindset differences at Wimbledon

John McEnroe has provided some interesting insights into the differences in mindset between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

The two great rivals are both eyeing glory at SW19 this fortnight and are coming into the Grand Slam in very different positions in their respective careers.

For Djokovic, it has been a hugely frustrating campaign so far after his Australian Open debacle left him having to take a flight home before the tournament had even started and having lost out to Nadal at Roland-Garros.

The Spaniard begins his Wimbledon campaign with two more Grand Slam singles titles to his name than Djokovic, who has 20, and McEnroe has given his thoughts on their different mindsets when it comes to that all-important tally.

“Well, they are totally opposite approaches,” McEnroe told the BBC.

“Djokovic talks openly about wanting to have the most [Grand Slam singles titles] and Nadal acts like nothing matters except going out and giving an effort every point and every match.

“It seems to have worked pretty well for both of them if you go by the history and how many Grand Slams they have won, so whatever makes you happy and whatever brings out the best in you is probably what you should do.

“Sometimes I suppose it could get tiring to opponents to hear Rafa say ‘I didn’t feel my foot, I couldn’t even feel it!’

“You looked pretty good to me at the French and now all of a sudden he did some other procedure that I don’t even know what it’s called.

“Whatever it was and whatever it is, he seems to feel pretty good and doesn’t have any pain and it’s unbelievable, and also I am glad they are on different sides.”

Pre-tournament, McEnroe gave his thoughts on Nadal’s fitness and his potential mindset coming into Wimbledon after the injury struggles he had to contend with while winning in Paris.

“Rafa’s toughest one [Grand Slam] is going to be this one to me because if you go by what he said at the French, he was injecting himself in his foot during some, if not all, of his matches,” McEnroe said, speaking on a video conference as part of his work for ESPN.

“I’m not sure how he did it in the first place, and he’s still able to win seven matches and look incredible, right? The guy looked amazing.

“If I’m 36, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to play, going for the Slam, I’d start shooting that foot up again and get through Wimbledon and the [US] Open. That would be me.

“He may be able to play a few more years. He also talked about wanting to be able to walk when he had kids. That’s a risk that no athletes want to take.”

He added of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic: “He’s been trying to get it back. So, it’s sort of set up at least for him now to hopefully get his act back together. I’m not 100 per cent sure.

“I think he’s the heavy favourite, but I think there are opportunities for players that you probably wouldn’t have thought could win it, and also a couple of people that could win it.

“Novak hopefully will play his best because it would be a shame that this continuation of what this debacle in Australia would continue to affect him. It’s also tough after the year he had to back that up.

“Let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to do what he did last year, come up that one match, not be somewhat deflated or make it more difficult to accomplish those types of feats again.”

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