An old video from 2011 which had Novak Djokovic lavishing huge praise upon Rafael Nadal, resurfaced on Reddit. The Serb, who was yet to become the dominant force he is today, called the Spaniard the greatest, despite the latter having trailed Roger Federer in the Grand Slam count by a sizeable margin that year.
In a recent interview, Nadal discussed why his rivalry with Federer is more popular than Djokovic’s rivalry with either of them. He put it down to a clash of contrasting aesthetics and techniques. However, he also remarked that the Swiss was the World No.1 when he burst onto the stage. The pair established a duopoly that was challenged by Djokovic only from 2011 onwards.
After beating Nadal in the final of the 2011 Indian Wells Masters, Djokovic hailed him as the best player in history. He said it was a pleasure to face the Spanish icon (via Reddit).
“It is always a pleasure playing against you, you’re a big champion. For me, you are the greatest player ever.”
At that point, Djokovic has just lifted only his second Grand Slam title. Nadal, meanwhile, had won 9. However, Federer was the undisputed leader with 16 Majors titles. For Djokovic to call Nadal the greatest despite this significant gap symbolises the respect the World No.1 holds for his rival. In 2022, the latter would eclipse Federer, who added only four Grand Slams to his tally after 2011. Djokovic, in turn, surpassed Nadal by winning the 2023 French Open.
Watching Roger Federer has moved me more than Novak Djokovic – Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal spoke about his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in an interview with Spanish media house El Pais. He claimed that his duel with Federer became more popular since it was a battle between his ‘warrior’ technique and the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s elegance. He added that they also played many high-stakes matches, making their rivalry greater than any else.
Nadal claimed his rivalry with Djokovic wasn’t as intense because as per him, the Serb did not evolve much over time. He said it was Federer whose tennis impressed and entertained him more. He remarked watching the Swiss ‘drew him’ more to tennis emotionally than Djokovic (via Fox Sports).
“Since I have memory, he is the player who has impressed me the most. The one who has entertained me the most. The one who has moved me the most. Watching Federer play has moved me more than Djokovic, and in the end, tennis is about emotion. It’s the emotion that draws you to it.”
As Nadal returned to the court after a year, a match against the 24-time Grand Slam winner is what everyone wants to witness. Such subtle barbs from both players will add an extra edge to it.
