By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday October 19, 2024
The dynamic duo met for a final friendly and paid homage to each other in an emotional post-match ceremony.
Photo Source: TTC
On Saturday, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic faced each other for the last time before the King of Clay will call time on his legendary career, at the Six King Slam exhibition in Riyadh. The result? Didn’t matter (Djokovic won in straight sets, the tennis was great at times).
What did matter is the words that pair of tennis icons shared on court.
Djokovic echoed what we are all feeling as we watch 38-year-old Nadal play out the final days of his amazing career that featured 22 major titles and the most devastating clay-court resume in the history of tennis.
“Don’t leave tennis, man, stay a little bit more. Stay with us,” Djokovic joked.
The 37-year-old 24-time major champion quickly got serious, and went on to finish a glowing tribute for the 22-time major champion that was articulate, emotional and memorable.
“Who would know that we are standing here almost 20 years later with 60 times that we faced each other on the biggest stages of the sport,” he said to Nadal “I have the utmost respect for you. You are an incredible athlete and an incredible person. The rivalry has been incredible, really, and has been very intense, so I hope that we will have the chance to maybe sit on the beach somewhere and have a little drink, reflecting on life and talking about something else.”
He then went on to credit Nadal’s support system in a very heartfelt manner.
“I would like to congratulate all your team and all your family on the amazing career that Rafa had – it’s also your success,” he said. “I know how much sacrifice family has to put into the career and the life of a professional tennis player. I can only imagine the highs and lows that you were going through with him. You deserve this success as much as he does so congratulations on an amazing career.”
Djokovic and Nadal have met 60 times across the span of their rivalry, including too many truly epic encounters to count. Anybody who has witnessed the pair chase one another across the globe for nearly two decades knows that they introduced a new level of intensity to the sport – their five hour and 53 minute Australian Open final in 2012 is one of the many examples of the lengths they went to to push one another – and themselves – to the brink in the name of victory.
“It’s been an incredible honor as I told you at the net, and an incredible pleasure to share the court with you,” Djokovic said. “It’s quite an emotional moment. An emotional day. We’ve played so many matches over so many years.
“I will finish with a big thank you, not just from me, but from all the tennis world, for what you have done. You left an incredible legacy and we really appreciate it.”
Nadal to Djokovic: Without You I Would Not Be Who I Am
Nadal took the mic next and expressed his appreciation for Djokovic, and his words.
“Thank you very much for everything, for what you said today, and for all the moments that we shared on court during all our careers,” he said. “It has been an amazing rivalry, and I think in a personal way I can say that you helped me go over my limits during almost 15 years, so thank you for that because without that I will probably not be the player that I am today.
Congratulations for all the titles and an amazing career to you and your team, I wish you all the very best of luck for the future.”
Nadal, on What He Will Miss Most About Tennis
Nadal was asked what he will miss most about his career.
“What I’m gonna miss the most is almost everything,” he said. “Has been a dream come true, being able to play for almost 20 years of a career, being competitive, and having the chance to play in the best places in the world. Best tournaments, best stadiums, something that I watched on TV when I was a kid.
“At the end I realized my dream, to become a professional tennis player and be a successful one.
“I really can’t thank you enough for the support and the love that I received all around. It has been an amazing energy in every single tournament that I was able to play during all these years, huge support, of course from my team and my family, but at the same time from all the tennis world.
"It has been a huge pleasure to be around. I feel like a very fortunate guy to be a tennis player. We have a great tour and a lot of great people running the sport. I feel very fortunate and I want to thank everyone.”