Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have one of the most important rivalries in all of tennis. The two have played against each other on numerous occasions, often battling for some of the top titles in the sport. Alongside Roger Federer, the three had the dominion of the top three ATP spots for numerous years. In a new interview, Djokovic has shed some light on his dynamic with Nadal.
© GettyImagesIn an appearance on the French news program C à vous, Djokovic spoke about his dynamic with Nadal. “We’re not necessarily friends, but we do have great respect for each other, and I hope - I speak on my behalf - that after our careers, we can share drinks on the beach and talk about life,” he said with a smile.
The comment was made following some comments that the talk show hosts made regarding Nadal, particularly when he said that Djokovic was unarguably the best in the world. “I believe that numbers are numbers and statistics are statistics and, in that sense, I think he has better numbers than mine and that is indisputable,” said Nadal following Djokovic’s US Open Grand Slam win to the Spanish publication AS. “It is not beneath me nor do I have an ego big enough to try to disguise a reality that is not. This is the truth.”
Rafael Nadal’s tennis comeback
Earlier this year, Nadal shared a video of himself training and playing tennis for the first time in some months. In the clip, Nadal looks comfortable as he returns serves with a forehand and a backhand. Nadal’s friend, Feliciano Lopez, spoke about Nadal’s recovery and made it seem like he would be back on the court at some point soon.
“He was looking great,” he said. “It was only a few weeks after the surgery and he was looking great, working perfectly, feeling healthy and everything is going great so far. First of all, he needs to finish his rehab… but by the end of the year, I think he’s going to be fully recovered.”
