Emotional Rafael Nadal thanks arch-rival Novak Djokovic for helping him go over limits after their last-ever faceoff in Riyadh
Rafael Nadal, following his last-ever faceoff against Novak Djokovic, thanked the Serbian for pushing him to do better over the years.
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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal (Image via Sky Sports)
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic played against each other probably for the last time, in Riyadh, on Saturday. As the two legends took on each other in the third-place match at the Six Kings Slam, all eyes were on the Spaniard as he is set to hang up his racket next month. While Nadal could not win the match and finish his rivalry with Djokovic on a high, the 38-year-old did win over everyone with his emotional speech after the match.
After Djokovic heaped praise on his opponent and cherished their rivalry, the 22-time Grand Slam champion reciprocated the love, thanking his arch-rival for helping him go over his limits. Nadal thanked Djokovic for the moments they shared on the court and also congratulated the 24-time Grand Slam champion on all his achievements.
I want to say a few words for Novak and his team. Thank you. For everything. What you said today and all the moments we shared on court. It’s been an amazing rivalry. 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.
Rafael Nadal said in the post-match interview
Rafa Nadal to Novak Djokovic after playing him for the last time at the Six Kings Slam
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 19, 2024
“I want to say a few words for Novak and his team. Thank you. For everything. What you said today and all the moments we shared on court. It’s been an amazing rivalry. In a personal way, you… pic.twitter.com/pckbY7RQgE
Emotional scenes at the net ?
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 19, 2024
A warm embrace at the net between Djokovic and Nadal as Novak defeats the Spaniard 6-2 7-6 ?#SixKingsSlam pic.twitter.com/cARfLjn03Q
The two legends also shared a warm hug at the net after Djokovic clinched the match 6-2, 7-6(5). Nadal and Djokovic were seen sharing a small talk as they hugged each other.
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s 60-match rivalry comes to an end
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer enjoyed great rivalry among themselves and the three players dominated the tour in such a way that they were dubbed the Big 3. The three pairs pushed each other to the limits, and notably, the Nadal-Djokovic pair had a tightly-contested rivalry.
Initially, the Spaniard enjoyed an upper hand over his Serbian counterpart with Nadal winning 16 of their first 20 matches. However, the tables turned after that as Djokovic won 10 of their next 12 matches. The Serbian ace faced stiff competition in the next few encounters with Nadal winning six of their next ten matches.
But as Djokovic hit his peak, during the 2014-16 period, Nadal could not do much and lost eight of the ten matches played between the two players. The Serbian maintained a lead of 26-23 and it continued till the end with the head-to-head score reading 31-29 in the Serbian’s favor.
In their last-ever match on the tour, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Djokovic defeated Nadal in his den and ensured that he ended his rivalry with his two arch-rivals on a high.
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Ritesh Pathak
(2150 Articles Published)