At least, Rafael Nadal was not Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul. The Spaniard let go after he couldn’t stop the clock on his aging body, bringing the generational talent’s legacy to cease. He bid farewell to his millions of fans at the Davis Cup in Malaga on October 19. Tennis community is well-versed with Nadal’s tenacity in his prime. And it’s not unknown that his opponents had to dig deep to find and exploit flaws in the Spaniard’s game. But, the first one to do that was Novak Djokovic – and everyone else followed in his footsteps.

The storied battle between Nadal and Djokovic spanned 18 years, registering 60 tour-level matches as they captivated the crowd. While the duo’s highly contested rivalry saw Nole lead 31-29. However,  the Spaniard topped the former in Grand Slams. He prevailed in 11 clashes out of their 18 showdowns. However, Djokovic still became the only player to defeat Nadal in all four Majors. That’s a notable feat, one that couldn’t have been done without his due diligence into Rafa’s weaknesses. He scrutinized his game till he understood how to better adapt against it.

Moreover, both players have candidly admitted that they were each other’s biggest competition during their respective ATP careers. During an interview in 2022, Rafa underscored the unique nature of their relationship saying, “My greatest rival is Novak Djokovic”. Similarly, Nole once expressed that the Spaniard “is the biggest rival” in his life.

After locking horns with the 22-time Major winner at the French Open in 2006, Djokovic, for the first time, got a grip over what he was dealing with. Hoping to find solutions to prevent suffering another setback against Nadal, the Serbian technically assessed where he could hurt the Spaniard most. That was the turning point. He did the unthinkable, started exploiting Rafa’s forehand, and, surprisingly, prompted rivals like Roger Federer and Andy Murray to note those pointers. This, in turn, was recently revealed by former Spanish star Emilio Sanchez.

Narrating how Djokovic found his arch-nemesis’s vulnerability, Sanchez said: “Another guest appeared in the battle, Novak Djokovic. At first, Rafa and his mentality broke him in adversity, but the Serb was classifying his flaws and weaknesses and became very dangerous, finally finding the gap where to hurt Rafa. He started to attack his forehand, something that no one had dared to do before, and it worked perfectly, so much so that Federer, Murray, and Wawrinka started to do the same.” Their rivalry came to an end at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh last month after Djokovic outclassed the Spaniard for the 3rd position.

Following Nadal’s retirement announcement, players and fans poured in a heartfelt tribute to his stellar legacy. Naturally, Djokovic wasn’t going to be left behind and posted an emotional message for him.

Novak Djokovic hails Rafael Nadal for being an inspiration to the younger generation

Rafael Nadal, undoubtedly, inspired generations to come with his impressive work ethic. The ‘good person from a small village in Mallorca’ worked with ruthless efficiency to dominate the tour for years. Upon acknowledging his impending farewell in Malaga, Novak Djokovic posted an emotional message for his arch-rival. The Serbian star took to his official Instagram handle and said:

“Rafa. First of all, congratulations on your amazing career. I hope that everyone will celebrate your career because there is so much to embrace, so much to celebrate. You inspired millions of children around the world to grab a tennis racket.”

With Nadal retired, fans were speculating whether Djokovic would choose the same for himself in 2025. However, battling all odds, the Serb has already hinted at returning to the Australian Open next season. What do you think of his chances in 2025?