Nadal thanks Djokovic for amazing rivalry

1 of 5

Rafa Nadal thanked Novak Djokovic for making him play beyond his limits as the two great rivals faced off for the final time on Saturday at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia before the Spaniard ends his spectacular career.

Nadal, who will be retiring following next month’s Davis Cup Finals, was beaten 6-2 7-6(5) by Djokovic in the third-place match.

“Thank you Novak for everything for all the moments we shared on court during our careers. It’s been an amazing rivalry,” said Nadal, whose men’s record of winning 22 Grand Slam titles was broken by Djokovic.

“In a personal way, you helped me go over my limits during almost 15 years. Without that, I wouldn’t be the player I am today. Congratulations for all the titles and amazing career to you and your team. I wish you all the best of luck for the future,” he added

The Spaniard faced Djokovic in 60 matches – the most in men’s tennis – having triumphed 29 times to the Serb’s 31.

An emotional Djokovic also thanked Nadal for everything he has done for tennis and the legacy he is leaving in the sport.

“It’s been an incredible honour and an incredible pleasure to share the court with you. It’s been quite an emotional moment today, we’ve been playing a lot of games over so many years,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said.

“The rivalry has been incredible and very intense, so I hope that we’ll have a chance to maybe sit in the beach somewhere have a little drink, reflecting on life, talking about something else.

“Thank you for what you have done, you leave an incredible legacy and we really appreciate it.”

Nadal will be part of the Spanish team at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga from Nov. 19-24. REUTERS

Related Posts

Rafael Nadal drops worrying hint ahead of last professional tennis match

Rafael Nadal is once again struggling with injury problems (Picture: Getty) Rafael Nadal has hinted he may have to cancel his scheduled last professional tennis match due to…

WATCH: Rafael Nadal, Jr. steals the show cheering for dad at the Six Kings Slam

Rafael Nadal’s wife and son were in attendance for his Six Kings Slam clash against Novak Djokovic (Source: Getty) Rafael Nadal’s baby son stole the spotlight at…

Rafael Nadal given extraordinary gift after final match against Novak Djokovic

Rafael Nadal with a golden tennis racket Rafael Nadal was presented with a solid gold tennis racket complete with golden strings after he played the final singles…

Rafael Nadal sends Novak Djokovic heartfelt message after last dance of epic rivalry at Six Kings Slam

(L-R) Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal thanked Novak Djokovic “for everything” in a heartfelt message after the pair played for the last time at the…

Novak Djokovic’s outfit for ATP Finals 2024 revealed

Rolex Paris Masters – Day Seven – Source: Getty Novak Djokovic’s outfit for the 2024 ATP Finals has been revealed. The 37-year-old will be looking to defend…

Six Kings Slam Prize Money: How long did Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic play to earn $1.5M?

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the main tour (Images via Getty) Rafael Nadal played 169 minutes at the Six Kings Slam while Novak Djokovic played 238…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *