In a recent interview with John McEnroe, Novak Djokovic said his relationship with Rafael Nadal started souring in the early years of the past decade. The duo have never warmed up ever since. They respect each other’s achievements and skills but aren’t very amicable with each other off the court.
The Djokovic-Nadal rivalry made for some great matches. During his younger days, the former was known to be a loose cannon, while the latter was reputed for his control and nonchalance. Their contrasting styles of dealing with issues resulted in some cracking matches, like the 2012 Australian Open final.
How Rafael Nadal cleverly used a review to deny Novak Djokovic a point
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were the top two seeds at the 2012 Australian Open and made it to the finals. The Spaniard had won the first set but found himself 5-2 down in the second. Serving to save the set, he found a shrewd loophole to throw Djokovic off his game.
On game point, Nadal’s serve was met with a great return from the Serb which he could not reach. He cunningly took a review for his own serve, contesting that it went out and hence, should not count. If the challenge was successful, Djokovic’s return would be meaningless and the point would be replayed.
That was not to be, though, as the review showed that the serve was marginally legal. Novak Djokovic won the point but he was less than thrilled with Rafael Nadal’s ploy. The Serb was a bit thrown off and lost two games before ultimately winning the set 6-4. His rival’s antics did not faze him for long as the defending champion won the title after a five-setter.
Fans in the comment section took sides. Some commended Rafael Nadal’s tactics for being smart and said he was not wrong. Others said Novak Djokovic was right to get upset, claiming if roles were reversed, there’d be a much bigger hue and cry.
View this post on Instagram
Amid Nadal’s slowdown, Djokovic has run amok. The 24-time Majors winner is zooming ahead unchallenged, with barely any genuine contenders from the current generation. As Nadal returns to the tour in 2024 for one last swing, fans will hope to get one more glimpse of this iconic rivalry.
Did Nadal surrender to Djokovic in the Grand Slam race?
Rafael Nadal will have to wait for the 2024 Australian Open to get back on court after Spain failed to qualify for the Davis Cup final. Now, in an interview with Spanish media outlet, Movistar Plus, he talked about his Grand Slam chances upon his return. The 22-time Majors winner was mellow, admitting winning the Australian Open and French Open right away was not realistic. He seemingly conceded the Grand Slam title race to Novak Djokovic, saying the Serb has an intense passion for it. Nadal has likely made his peace with being second on the list, given that 2024 is probably his last year on tour.
Novak Djokovic may have steered clear of Rafael Nadal in numbers, turning many critics into fans after cementing his GOAT status. However, the way their rivalry, on and off the court, pushed each other to their best is historic. Even as Roger Federer retired, the duo kept going, adding to what is one of the best rivalries not only in tennis but in the world of sport. Every fan is praying for Nadal and Djokovic to face off at least once before the former retires next year.
