Boris Becker says it’s time for Novak Djokovic to receive same respect as his contemporaries Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

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Becker shared his sentiments after Djokovic’s 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 US Open final defeat to Daniil Medvedev.

It denied Djokovic the chance of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to achieve the calendar Grand Slam of winning all four majors in the same year.

It leaves Djokovic level with Federer and Nadal on 20 Grand Slams each but many feel Djokovic does not get the same respect as the other two legends.

Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion and a former coach of Djokovic, told Eurosport Germany the manner in which the Serb is portrayed by some media and pundits is unfair.

“I know Novak privately and professionally, and I can only say that he is a fine guy. A competitor who sometimes misbehaves on the court, but who doesn’t? The public, including the media, really have to get used to the fact that there are not just two, but three [legends], who have great qualities as players and as individuals.

“It is not acceptable that Novak is always the bad guy and Roger and Rafa are always the good guys – that is unfair,” Becker said.

Djokovic broke down during his runner-up speech at the US Open and Becker said it showed a different side of the Serb.

“I hope that these two weeks in New York, the final, the following speech and the reaction of the New York audience will ensure that he is finally seen in a different light.

“He publicly stood up for (Stefanos) Tsitsipas [in the toilet break row] after the semi-final against (Alexander) Zverev; he often stands up for other players. That’s often swept under the rug and no one wants to perceive that in any way. There’s another side to him, and it’s very sympathetic. I hope for him and for his family that he’s finally treated a little more fairly than he has been until now.”

Picture: Novak Djokovic with his US Open runner-up trophy… (US Open/Twitter)

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