Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been considered the two topmost players in the history of tennis when it comes to ATP Tours. They are even part of the Big 3, along with Roger Federer. However, people peg them as rivals, since their records and scores are usually on the competitive side. In a recent interview, Novak Djokovic shared how he feels about Rafael Nadal and what is the one thing he would like to do with him after they retire.
However, things are not the same in real life. Even though they might not hang out as friends off the court, they are certainly not rivals either.
Novak Djokovic explains how he would love to spend his retirement with ‘non-friend’ Rafael Nadal
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The world #1 is usually pegged to be aggressive on the court. His competitive spirit is what sets him apart. Everyone watching has always felt that he has a rivalry aura for the players who are at the same level as him. And that is what everyone feels about the bond between Rafael Nadal and him too. But recently in an interview, Djokovic expressed his true feelings towards him.
"Rafael Nadal est un joueur très spécial pour moi, ce n'est pas trop mon ami mais on a du respect l’un pour l’autre. J'espère qu'après notre carrière, on pourra se faire un verre sur la plage, parler de la vie."
Nadal/Djokovic, adversité ou amitié : @DjokerNole dans #CàVous pic.twitter.com/iDLetAUTTK
— C à vous (@cavousf5) October 30, 2023
He said, “Rafael Nadal is a very special player for me, he’s not really my friend but we have respect for each other. I hope that after our career, we can have a drink on the beach, and talk about life.”
Given his statement, it truly shows that he would definitely not call him a friend but would love to get to know him on the other side of the sort where there is no competition or anything like that. Well, to be honest, we would like that too.
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Besides that, Djokovic was also spotted with another competitor, Carlos Alcaraz practicing for the Paris Masters 2023.
Djokovic and Alcaraz hit it on the court days before the tournament
Djokovic and Alcaraz are in a tied-up knot to finish the year as the number one. Just this Sunday they were seen practicing together on the court right before the Rolex Paris Masters. Djokovic is a 6-time champion at Bercy and he will be opening the tournament with his doubles match.
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On the other hand, the second-seeded Alcaraz will make a start to pursue the 7 trophy of his season by playing against either Alexandre Muller or Roman Safiullin. We are really thrilled to witness the amazing match between these two champions. Who will you be rooting for, Team Djokovic or Team Alcaraz?
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