Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic comparisons and the bond the trio share, continue to be an enigma for fans with many versions being brought by the legends themselves and other speculations. But Novak Djokovic broke the internet by sharing a picture of him and Rafael Nadal on X, together on a flight. The picture took everyone by surprise and brought a new meaning to the Djokovic-Nadal relationship. It even ended a lot of speculation about their supposed animosity over the years.
While this picture was garnering all the attention for the right reasons, it didn’t long before someone brought Roger Federer into the mix. Another tweet by Tennis Letter went something like this with a hilarious meme.
Federer seeing Nadal with another man https://t.co/Uk13BsBejb pic.twitter.com/AS4wMYOFh6
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 23, 2024
The picture showed a Roger Federer, slightly upset and taken from a different context, seemingly looking at Nadal with his side eye. Thus, completing the meme that he was jealous of Nadal. This tweet rather dives deep into the long, loving, and respectful relationship that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have shared over the years. On occasions, more than once, both these legends have praised each other for more than their gameplay. Here are some reactions of the post –
The Djokovic-Nadal rivalry is one of the most talked about in tennis history. They have played 59 matches against each other, with Djokovic winning 30 and Nadal 29 of them. A rivalry that started in 2006 is continuing till now. No other rivalry has shifted dominance in the tennis world more than this. This picture of Djokovic and Nadal, both with smiles, just shows how much professional respect they have for each other despite their long-lasting rivalry.
“Great company on the way to USA,” wrote Djokovic on his X.
Great company on the way to USA @RafaelNadal #idemooo #vamos @atptour #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/UDB13mp4Ux
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) February 23, 2024
Even though Nadal recently revealed that he isn’t friends with Federer, or Djokovic for that matter, fans have been privy to their loving ‘bromance’ over the years. During his farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup, Federer said Nadal was his best doubles partner. They teamed up for the first time in 2017, and 5 years later Nadal was Federer’s choice of partner for his farewell match. Their bond stands the test of time, as both of them took a picture together at Nadal’s academy recently. Nadal too, has been equally unequivocal about praising Federer over the years.
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic could have Indian Wells matchup
There has been a lot of buzz about Rafael Nadal, even when he is out due to his hip micro tear. He might soon make a comeback to tennis, possibly at the Indian Wells Masters 2024. Nadal was supposed to play in the Qatar Open but wasn’t able to recover in time. Now, via the ‘Protected Ranking’ system, Rafael Nadal looks confident and sure to play in the BNP Paribas Open.
The Indian Wells even made a tribute video of Nadal, showing all his best shots over the years. With Djokovic and Nadal both traveling to the USA, there is a high chance they might play each other in the tournament in an earlier round.
After Djokovic’s semi-final exit at the Australian Open, he even made sure that a fit Rafael Nadal would be the most threatening player at the French Open. It will be a thrilling experience for fans if they get to watch Rafael Nadal play against Novak Djokovic after such a long time.
