In an interview withAS, Rafael Nadal talked about his career, also focusing on his historic rivalry with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. The Spaniard also answered the age-old question of who is the GOAT tennis between him, the Serband the Swiss. Rafa and Nole faced each other for the last time at the Six Kings Slam. The Serbian champion prevailed in two sets, but it was the post-match that provided the strongest emotions. Both Nole and Rafa in fact remembered their rivalry by sending words of great admiration towards each other. Djokovic, in particular, paid tribute to the career of Nadal, who will retire after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The numbers say that Djokovic is the best ever, so his level has also been the best. He is also the one who has managed to stay away from injuries the longest. It is not an excuse, also thanks to this he is the best and deserves this title. I think it is human that Novak, even if in excellent condition, once Federer has retired and I am about to do so, will have a small breakdown and decide to leave. It happens to everyone. If in good health, he can still be competitive at the highest levels and aim to win the biggest tournaments. If at a certain point, all the sacrifices he makes are not repaid, I think he will choose to step aside. Djokovic is the player I have faced the most in my career, but my greatest rival was Federer. Roger was the first one I had to beat when I arrived on the ATP Tour. They have marked you particularly for years and Roger was always there. My rivalry with both of them was more intense than the one they had, I don't know why," he analyzed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Only the Davis Cup Finals appointment remains between Nadal and his definitive tennis farewell. The Spanish champion fought against Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals and with his eternal rival Novak Djokovic in the 3-4 final at the Six Kings Slam. Speaking about this and his Serbian rival, Rafa said: "It was a battle, obviously very different from the ones we had on tour, but it was fun especially in the second set. I didn't play well enough in the first set, because I haven't played almost anyone since the Olympics. It took me a while to find my rhythm. Playing against Nole is always exciting because we have an incredibly long history. I was very lucky, I always had the feeling that they loved me so much in all the tournaments I played in during my career. It's hard to describe, but the energy and the personal satisfaction you feel when you feel the support of people is something very special, I can't thank everyone enough. It will be a big change in my life. I need time to decide what I want to do in the future, since I was a child I lived as a professional athlete. Now I'm focusing on preparing for the Davis Cup and enjoying these last months as a professional. I don't want to put pressure on myself, I'll just need time to reflect."
Djokovic also had words of praise for Rafa, in the press conference, after winning the final for 3rd place in Riyadh. The two have been rivals throughout their long careers, facing each other in 60 official matches, and have pushed each other to improve and always go beyond the limit.
"It was not a match where the interest was to win, but to enjoy the moments of the last match between us. So the feeling on the court was different. Playing against him is something special, even more so when the time of his retirement was approaching. We saw once again his fighting spirit, which allowed him to achieve incredible victories. He proved once again that he is Rafa, an icon and a legend of tennis. It was an honor to share the court with him for the last time. An anecdote? We had a lot of fun in Colombia, when we went to play a match there for the first time. We spent time together off the court at a time when the rivalry was very tense. We talked about life, tennis and many other things. The rivalry has been very intense for many years and it is difficult to coincide both. No other tennis competition has had as many challenges as ours. I will miss facing Nadal. We have played on all the great stages you can imagine. Our rivalry has been very strong, and if you put Federer and Murray together, we have left a great legacy in tennis over the last 20 years," he explained.
