Novak Djokovic reveals what he hopes he can do with Rafael Nadal after the pair retire
Novak Djokovic has admitted his great rival Rafael Nadal is “not really my friend”, but described the Spaniard as “a very special player for me.”
The Serbian expressed his hope that he and Nadal “can have a drink on the beach” and “talk about life” after they have both retired from the sport.
Djokovic and Nadal form what is arguably one of sport’s greatest rivalries, having played a remarkable 59 times – a record in men’s tennis. The former holds a 30-29 lead – with their clashes to date having taken place over a 16-year period from 2006 to 2022.
The legendary duo are also the two players with the most men’s Grand Slam titles in history. Djokovic won a record-extending 24th Major at the 2023 US Open in September, while Nadal won his 22nd and most recent Slam at the 2022 French Open.
Djokovic is set to return to action at this week’s Paris Masters – where he is competing in both singles and doubles – having last played at the Davis Cup Finals group stage in Malaga last month.
The 36-year-old is partnering countryman Miomir Kecmanovic in doubles and the pair will take on Jannik Sinner and Stan Wawrinka in the opening round on Tuesday. He will face either Kecmanovic or Tomas Martin Etcheverry in his opening match in the singles on Wednesday.
Nadal has not competed since suffering a hip injury in his second round loss to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January. The 37-year-old underwent surgery on the issue in June, having initially expected to be out for only six to eight weeks.
Speaking on French TV show C a vous, Djokovic discussed his relationship with his Mallorcan contemporary and highlighted the respect the duo share for each other.
“Rafael Nadal is a very special player for me, he’s not really my friend but we have respect for each other. I hope that after our career, we can have a drink on the beach, talk about life,” declared the Serbian.
The world No 1 spoke about his rivalry with Nadal at this year’s French Open, where the Spaniard was absent for the first time since 2004 due to his injury.
“A lot of people retired him already 10 years ago but he kept going, which is something I respect and admire. I know how hard it is to maintain that level and keep going even after having a tough injury,” Djokovic said in a press conference.
“I have to say that he’s my biggest rival. When he announced that he’s going to have his last season of [his] career [in 2024], I felt part of me is leaving with him too. I feel that he was one of the most impactful people that I have ever had in my career, the growth of my career and me as a player.
“Definitely a great motivational factor for me to keep playing and keep competing and keep pushing each other – who’s going achieve more, who’s going to do better.”
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