Djokovic Commends Iconic Nadal for Inspiring Millions

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday October 10, 2024They were heated rivals. So much so, that they rarely had time for friendship. Such was the sway of the Nadal – Djokovic rivalry, which spanned three decades, and 60 meetings, so many of them truly epic.Today, when Rafael Nadal announced the end of his career, Djokovic responded with a heartfelt post on Twitter, thanking the 38-year-old for inspiring millions – including himself.“Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport,” Djokovic wrote. “You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably the 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 an 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.”

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… pic.twitter.com/HO9kUkyccN

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 10, 2024