Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal found the perfect way to end their iconic sporting rivalry – and they parted with lot of smiles and an exchange of gifts.
Djokovic and Nadal have been the biggest of rivals during their remarkable career and that created inevitable tension between the tennis greats, but only respect and admiration shone through after they played their final match against each other at the Six Kings Slam in Riyhad.
The two most successful players in the history of men’s tennis contested a record 60 competitive clashes during their careers, with Djokovic leading 31-29.
Throughout their rivalry, they have also been duelling to claim the title of the greatest player of all-time, with Djokovic clinching that title after winning 24 Grand Slam titles compared to Nadal’s 22.
Yet the scars of their battles over the last two decades were forgotten as the two icons had what Djokovic described as ‘one last dance’ in the exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.
There were some vintage Nadal moments, including several crowd-pleasing forehands down the line, and the Spaniard had a big smile on his face at the end, but Djokovic prevailed 6-2, 7-6(5).
“It has been an amazing rivalry,” said Djokovic. “In a personal way, I have to say that you helped me to go over my limits for almost 15 years. So thank you for that because without that probably I would not be the player that I am today.
“It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years being competitive and having the chance to play in the best places in the world.”
“I have the utmost respect for you: incredible athlete, incredible person.
“The rivalry has been incredible and has been very intense, so I hope that we’ll have a chance to maybe sit on the beach somewhere and maybe have a little drink and reflect on life, talking about something else.
“I will finish with one big thank you, from not just me, but all of the tennis world for what you have done. You left an incredible legacy and we really appreciate it.
“Don’t leave tennis man, stay a little bit longer, stay with us.”
Djokovic’s tribute to Nadal was delivered with real passion on the court and the friendly relations continued after the match as both players and their teams posed for a photograph that was posted by both players on their Instagram accounts.
There was also an exchange of tennis rackets, with both players signing the grips and offering up a message to their rivals.
“Novak, you helped me go over my limits for 15 years,” Nadal said. “I will probably not be the player I am without you. I wish you the best of luck in the future.
“It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years being competitive, having the chance to play in the best places in the world, which I watched on TV as a kid.
“I cannot thank you enough for the support and love I have received all around. There was an amazing journey every single tournament over the years. I feel very fortunate to be a tennis player.”
Djokovic has confirmed he will be in Malaga for Nadal’s planned farewell at the Davis Cup Finals next month, but there are some doubts over whether the Spaniard will play in that event as he was clearly struggling in his two matches at the Six Kings Slam.
Nadal has confirmed he will be play in the Davis Cup if he doesn’t feel he can contribute to the Spanish effort to lift the title for the first time since 2019.
“Will I be ready for the Davis Cup? Emotionally, yes, that’s for sure; physically and tennis-wise, I still have a month ahead of me,” said Nadal.
“I will prepare, I will try to be in shape to help the team win. If I feel ready and the captain feels the same way, it will be his decision. If I don’t feel ready, I will be the first to step away and see how I can help.
“First, I have to be the one who feels competitive to get into the game, then you can win or lose, that’s part of the sport. If I’m not 100% or if I’m far from winning my match, I won’t go on the court.”
