“People Only Started to Like Rafa When Novak Arrived” – Gilles Simon

Gilles Simon and Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

PARIS - Gilles Simon may have had a reputation for playing conservative, tactical tennis, but when it comes to speaking his mind, the former World No. 6 is anything but cautious. In a wide-ranging interview with RG Media and CLAY during Roland Garros, the Frenchman revisited some of his most talked-about opinions—and doubled down on all of them.

“People only started to like Rafa when Novak arrived,” Simon said.

Ten years ago, Simon made headlines with a sharp take on how talent is perceived in tennis: "When Richard Gasquet hits a backhand winner from the stands, people say it’s talent – and they’re right. But when Rafa Nadal does the same with his forehand, they say it’s physical strength. Everyone agrees Roger Federer is talented, but when it comes to Djokovic, there’s doubt. People say he doesn’t have a huge shot. But when you serve 275 km/h and he returns it dead center on his strings every time – that’s talent. My coach Jan de Witt might hesitate if you asked him who’s more talented, Roger or Novak. TV distorts perception. People don’t see how special Kei Nishikori is – he has the best two-handed backhand I’ve ever seen."

“Yes, 100 percent,” Simon said when asked if he still stands by those words.

“Of course, people can change their minds—we learn every day—but I’ve always had an issue with associating talent with a specific style of play. I just don’t see the connection. Now that I’m a coach myself, I see it even more clearly—some players absorb information and execute much faster than others. For me, that’s talent.”

He expanded: “In my generation, people said Roger was way more talented than Rafa, who just relied on physicality. But Rafa was winning matches at 16—that means he was learning faster than everyone else. If you hand him a golf club, he plays well. He’s good with football too—because he’s a genius. Roger is more creative and easier on the eye, so people associate that with talent, and they miss the rest.”

Simon gave another example: “Feliciano López. I had him in mind when I made that talent comment years ago. On serve, he was fun to watch—serve and volley, very aggressive. That style is labeled as ‘talented.’ But on the return, he’d slice backhand 10–15 times in a row—which people see as pushing. So which is it? Is he talented or not? You can’t be a top-20 player without talent. People just don’t see the work behind the scenes. Some players need 15 minutes to learn something; others need an hour. The end result may be the same on court, but the process is very different.”

After retiring in 2022 with 14 ATP titles, Simon briefly coached Daniil Medvedev before they split in early 2025. Reflecting on that experience, he noted:

“There were no real surprises. The easy part is gaining knowledge—observing, learning from others. The harder part is communication. If you say the same thing to four different players, they’ll interpret it four different ways. That’s where psychology comes in. As a player, you focus on yourself. As a coach, it’s not about you anymore—it’s about how you deliver the message to the player.”

The Djokovic Effect

The conversation turned to Rafael Nadal’s farewell ceremony at Roland Garros, which brought together the Big Four one more time. Simon, who faced Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal 30 times combined, offered rare insight:

“Novak was already better than most when he arrived, but he was still behind Roger and Rafa.

I don’t think many people believed he’d surpass them—not even Roger and Rafa themselves. So when he started doing it, people didn’t like it. Everyone loved the Roger–Rafa rivalry. They didn’t want a third guy.”

Then came one of Simon’s most compelling observations: “Remember, Roger was the most loved player, maybe ever. And most fans didn’t like Rafa when he showed up. But they started liking him more when Novak came on the scene. I’m 100% sure of it. Rafa became more appreciated once fans started comparing him to Novak instead of Roger.”

Simon praised Djokovic for staying true to himself through criticism and controversy:

And, according to Simon, Djokovic has finally earned something else too.

“When he said he wanted to break Roger’s and Rafa’s records, people thought it was arrogant. But now that he’s done it—you have to tip your hat. He’s earned the respect, and now he’s even getting love from fans and the whole tennis world. That wasn’t there in the beginning.”

In retirement, Simon may not chase titles anymore, but he’s not done making people think—and occasionally squirm.