Novak Djokovic shares heartfelt tribute to Juan Martin del Potro and Argentina
Novak Djokovic is set to play an exhibition match with Juan Martin del Potro in Argentina in the December of 2024.
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Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro (via X)
Novak Djokovic is set to play an exhibition match in Argentina with Juan Martin del Potro on December 1st. The Serbian has confirmed his withdrawal from the BNP Paribas Masters, which makes it unlikely for him to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals. Djokovic is the defending champion in both of those events.
Djokovic, who has been on an exhibition tour since his third-round loss at the US Open, has not been very active on the ATP Tour recently. However, he will travel to Argentina to conclude his 2024 season. Currently in Belgrade, he shared a heartfelt tribute to Del Potro and the Argentine people.
The Argentine people and the Serbian people are similar. You always have to fight somewhere to exist. Juan’s journey has always moved me. He was a great rival and then everything that we know happened to him. I can perfectly understand what Delpo went through, because of the injuries, his moments of physical and mental sacrifices. Because of all his resilience, it’s true I love him more.
Novak Djokovic said in Belgrade
.@DjokerNole sobre @delpotrojuan: “Es uno de los rivales más grandes que tuve (…) Conozco bien las sensaciones duras. Y más que todo con Delpo, por las lesiones, sus momentos de sacrificios físicos y mentales. Por su resiliencia, lo amo más”. ?Belgrado pic.twitter.com/7Z9C12FwJq
— Sebastián Torok (@sebatorok) October 20, 2024
Djokovic and Del Potro have had a great rivalry throughout their careers, with the Serbian winning 16 of their 20 meetings. Many of their matches have been high-quality encounters, including the 2013 Wimbledon semifinals and the 2013 Shanghai final. Del Potro often had the upper hand in the Olympic Games, defeating Djokovic in the 2012 London Olympics bronze medal match, and again in the first round of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Earlier this year, Djokovic and Del Potro shared a brief moment on the court at the US Open before the tournament began. The pair have now confirmed their participation in the Argentina exhibition.
Djokovic has played in multiple exhibitions this year, including one in Bulgaria with Grigor Dimitrov, and he recently participated in the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, where he finished third behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Rafael Nadal picks his greatest rival between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic
22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has named Roger Federer, rather than Novak Djokovic, as his greatest rival on the ATP tour. The trio, known as the Big 3, created the most dominant period in ATP history, winning 66 Grand Slam titles over two decades.
In the years when I was at my best in every sense of the word, it was Roger and Novak. But in the first years, which are the ones that leave a special mark on you, Roger was always there. I think, and I don’t know why, that my rivalry with the two of them has been more intense than the one they had between them. I don’t know exactly what the reason is, but I feel that the world perceives it that way. We would have to find the reason.
Rafael Nadal said in an interview on AS
Nadal made his ATP debut in 2001 and had his breakthrough in 2004 when he defeated Federer in Miami. At the time, the Swiss Maestro was already an established player and the World No. 1. Nadal and Federer were involved in many battles early in Nadal’s career. Their rivalry, known as ‘Fedal,’ ended with a 24-16 record in favor of Nadal.
With Roger, I am clear that it is because it was a very sharp contrast in styles and ways of seeing and approaching the sport. And with Novak, of course, it has been an incredible challenge. In the end, he is a player who has managed to maintain a very high level of play and improve every year. The numbers say that he is the best, so his tennis level has also been the best and, in addition, he is the one who has managed to stay the furthest away from injuries.
Rafael Nadal added
In contrast, Nadal and Djokovic were both teenagers when they first met in the 2006 Roland Garros quarterfinals. However, by then, Nadal had already won a Grand Slam and was dominating on clay. Djokovic didn’t rise to equal standing with Federer and Nadal until 2011.
Nadal’s rivalry with Djokovic ended 31-29 in favor of the Serb. Their last official match was in the second round of the Paris Olympics. Interestingly, their last three encounters were all on the Paris clay, including the 2021 Roland Garros semifinals and the 2022 Roland Garros quarterfinals.
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Fahad Hamid
(636 Articles Published)