Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have a sporting rivalry. And great mutual respect. Djokovic praises the Spaniard with emotional words.
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic wants to personally say goodbye to his long-time rival Rafael Nadal. “Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable. I wish you the best possible farewell in Malaga with Spain’s Davis Cup team. I will be there in person to pay my respects to your outstanding career,” wrote the Paris Olympic champion on X
At the same time, Djokovic paid emotional tribute to Nadal after his retirement announcement. “Thank you for pushing me to my limits so often in our rivalry, which has shaped me most as a player.”
The 38-year-old Nadal announced on Thursday that he would end his career after the final round of the Davis Cup from November 19th to 24th in Malaga, Spain. Among other things, Nadal won the title 22 times at one of the four Grand Slam tournaments Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open and US Open. This makes him number two behind Djokovic (23) and ahead of Roger Federer (20). He was also at the top of the world rankings for a total of 209 weeks.
Djokovic (37) is the last of the “Big Three” after Federer ended his exceptional career after playing doubles with Nadal at the Laver Cup 2022. According to Djokovic, Nadal’s legacy “will live forever. Only you know what you had to go through to become an icon of tennis and sport in general,” he wrote.
With his tenacity, dedication and fighting spirit, Nadal “inspired millions of kids to start playing tennis, and I think that’s probably the greatest achievement you could ask for,” said Djokovic.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
