Novak Djokovic once agreed with Rafael Nadal’s thoughts on the difficulties of reforming the tennis system. Both players voiced their frustrations during the 2013 Shanghai Masters, and noted the challenges of making meaningful changes in the sport.

Nadal’s main concern revolved around the heavy scheduling and the number of tournaments played on hard courts. He pushed for fewer events on such surfaces, believing that it would reduce injury risks and help extend players’ careers, especially for those struggling with knee problems like himself.

However, the 38-year-old admitted during a Shanghai press conference that despite raising concerns, nothing had changed. He said he had given up on trying to change the system and was “out of politics.”

“I am really out of politics, and I don’t want to be involved in politics of the tennis anymore,” he said. “I know even if you have strong ideas and even if you believe the changes are possible, I know there is always a wall there that is impossible to go over.”

Later, Djokovic echoed the Spaniard’s sentiments in a media interaction. He noted that nearly every player had been attempting to initiate changes within the system, but ultimately, little progress had been made.

“Yes, I understand why he feels that way, because I feel too. It’s been over five years that we all have been trying in different ways to affect some things regarding schedule, tournaments, different formats, so forth,” he said.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion added:

“The system is rooted inside. It’s very difficult to change. I think we have to go back to the basics, right? We need to go back to the essential problem that actually causes all these different problems that we maybe complain about.”

Novak Djokovic won Shanghai Masters 2013 while Rafael Nadal exited in SF

Novak Djokovic won the 2013 Shanghai Masters, while his arch-rival Rafael Nadal was eliminated in the semifinals. Had the Spaniard advanced, it would have set up a highly anticipated showdown between the two in the final.

Nadal had an impressive run in the tournament, defeating Alex Dolgopolov, Carlos Berlocq, and Stan Wawrinka. However, he fell short in the last four against Juan Martin del Potro, losing in straight sets.

On the other hand, Djokovic advanced through the draw by defeating Marcel Granollers, Fabio Fognini, Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Del Potro, successfully defending his title.

The Serb is the most successful player in the history of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament with four trophies under his belt.