Even though it was imminent, there was a sense of extreme sadness when Rafael Nadal took to social media to announce his retirement yesterday. It was a sudden update from Nadal, as he revealed he will end his career after the Davis Cup Finals next month. After Nadal made his retirement plans clear, Novak Djokovic remains the last man standing in the famed ‘Big 3,’ with Federer also having retired back in 2022. As a result, the Serb is feeling a massive void.

Djokovic is currently in China where he’s playing in the Shanghai Masters. Earlier today, he overcame the challenge of Jakub Mensik in a tough three-set encounter to enter the semifinals of the tournament. During the post-match interview, Djokovic was asked about how he felt after Nadal called an end to his illustrious career.

Replying to that, the 24-time Grand Slam champion said, “I posted on Instagram and meant every word. He’s my greatest rival. Rivalry I had with him has impacted me the most in my career. We knew that moment is coming sooner than later but it’s still a shock. When it came official also for Roger a few years ago when he announced his retirement and Andy as well, it’s been overwhelming for me to be honest. I still enjoy competing but a part of me left with them.”

Interestingly, the rivalry between Nadal and Djokovic is considered to be one of the greatest rivalries seen in men’s tennis. The duo faced each other in an astonishing 60 encounters, with nearly equal no. of wins and losses for both of them. Djokovic has a slender lead in this regard, winning 31 matches while Nadal won 29 of those encounters.

While many such rivalries often lead to good friendship, it was an opposite case for Djokovic and Nadal. The Serb once explained why he could never be friends with Nadal.

Novak Djokovic on friendship with Rafael Nadal: ‘Between rivals, it is not possible’

Despite an intriguing rivalry, Djokovic and Nadal maintain great respect for each other. Even during the interview today at the Shanghai Masters, the Serb revealed that he has great respect for Nadal for what he’s done in his illustrious career. However, when it came to friendship, the two were far from it.

Explaining why he could never be friends with the likes of Nadal and Federer, Djokovic once said, “Nadal is a part of my life, in the last fifteen years I’ve seen more of him than my mum! We have never been friends. Between rivals, it is not possible, but we have never been enemies. I’ve always had respect for Federer, he was one of the greatest of all time. He had an extraordinary impact, but I’ve never been close to him.”

Talking about Djokovic’s recent form, it looks like he is back to his best, after a poor start to the 2024 season. He has put on solid performances to reach the last 4 in Shanghai and will take on Taylor Fritz tomorrow in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Can the Serb clinch the title at the Shanghai Masters? Let us know your views in the comments below.