Novak Djokovic paid tribute to his long time nemisis on tennis court Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard announced retirement on Thursday. Nadal is set to retire after turning up for Spain in the Davis Cup Finals in November. Nadal, Djokovic, and Roger Federer were collectively cllaed the 'Big 3' of Tennis.
Sharing a picture of himself with Nadal, Djokovic wrote, "Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever. Only you know what you had to endure to become icon of tennis and sport in general. Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player. Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable".
Serbia did not qualify for the Davis Cup Finals but Djokovic said that he will be there to pay his respects. “I wish you best possible farewell in Malaga with Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person to pay respect to your stellar career,”
History of Djokovic's on court rivalry with Nadal
The on-court rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal began at the 2006 French Open, when a 19-year old Djokovic had to retire from their quarter-final.
The duo has faced each other 60 times with Djokovic coming out on top 31 times, however, Nadal has won 11 of 18 Grand Slam matches against his Serbian opponent. The early 2010s confirmed their rivalry as a battle for the ages, with several marathon matches on the biggest stages.
The Spaniard maintained his dominance on clay, taking his French Open record against Djokovic to 8-2 with a dramatic quarter-final victory in 2022. The last match between the pair was also at Rolland Garros at the Paris Olympics. This time, Djokovic comprehensively beat the Spaniard.
