Novak Djokovic admits wanting to share a drink with Rafael Nadal after their retirement despite not being friends ever

Novak Djokovic throws more light about his relationship with Rafael Nadal.

Novak Djokovic admits wanting to share a drink with Rafael Nadal after their retirement despite not being friends ever

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic (Credits: Forbes)

After Roger Federer left the pro-tennis scene, the only Big 3 GOAT debate that now exists is with the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal rivalry. Things took a surprising turn when Novak Djokovic admitted his desire to share a drink with Rafael Nadal after their retirements.

This is despite the fact that the two have never been close friends, unlike Nadal and Federer who shared a camaraderie despite their nail-biting clashes on the court. While Djokovic and Nadal are two of the greatest tennis players of all time and they have had a fierce rivalry on the court for many years, the two have never come off as particularly “friendly” towards each other. Nonetheless, they have always maintained a respectful relationship off the court.

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In a recent interview with French TV show C à vous, Djokovic was asked if he would ever be friends with Nadal. He said that he didn’t think it was possible, but that he would still like to have a drink with him after they both retire.

FS Video
Rafael Nadal is a very special player for me, he's not really my friend but we have respect for each other. I hope that after our career, we can have a drink on the beach, talk about life.
Djokovic on C à vous

It is unclear whether Nadal would accept Djokovic’s invitation to have a drink after they retire. However, it leaves no room for doubt that this is a sight that the tennis world would love to see. The two ‘GOATs’ of tennis, whose fanbases are constantly at war online, sipping away at their drinks in a comfortable, shared silence, or with the occasional quip of inside jokes- the sight is definitely worth a billion dollars!

Djokovic is currently the top seed in tournaments around the world while Nadal is recovering from his injuries. There is still no confirmation about his comeback, but it is possible that they could meet in another Grand Slam final in the future. However, even if they never meet on the court again, their rivalry will go down in history as one of the greatest in all of sport.

Novak Djokovic’s goal includes winning at the Paris Olympics

Djokovic recently made his main ambitions very clear as he returns to the Paris Masters after a short break. The 36-year-old player rushed right to the Davis Cup after his monumental win at the US Open.

Novak Djokovic (Credits: EuroSport)
Novak Djokovic (Credits: EuroSport)

He went to the Davis Cup to defend his nation at the tournament. The Serbian then took a small break by skipping China and spending time with his family. He has no plans to retire yet. The 24-time Grand Slam winner will play in 2024 as well, with his focus mainly on completing a Calendar Grand Slam which he was denied this year by Carlos Alcaraz at the Wimbledon.

His other goals include representing his country at the Olympics and winning a gold medal. Talking about his Olympics ambition in the Paris Masters pre-tournament press conference, Djokovic remarked:

Of course next year is Olympic Games, I really want to do well in Olympic Games, represent my country. Davis Cup is something that still gives me a lot of inspiration.

It remains to be seen how many more feathers Djokovic adds to his already blooming crown before he takes a bow from the sport, and that is defying years worth of allegations from critics and definitely a host of Rafael Nadal fans on the Internet.

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