Djokovic was in a position to attract stage with Nadal on 22 Grand Slam titles – the lads’s singles report – by successful January’s Australian Open. Only a few weeks after his triumph in Melbourne Park, the Serb shortly shared his want to meet his rival within the French Open remaining with a twenty third Main up for grabs.
The 36-year-old was stuffed with reward for Nadal throughout a press convention at his Belgrade tennis centre again in February, explaining why the Spaniard would all the time be his greatest and finest rival. However after piling the reward on Nadal and their rivalry, Djokovic has already misplaced his want earlier than the French Open has even began.
“The rivalry that counts essentially the most matches within the historical past of any rivalry in tennis,” Djokovic mentioned on the time, discussing Nadal. “I want to meet within the Roland Garros remaining, if I may select, I imagine we’d each signal it now.”
The 93-time title winner had been questioned over whether or not he thought Carlos Alcaraz was changing into his new primary rival, with the pair spending the 2023 season to this point battling for the No 1 rating. Though Djokovic spoke extremely of the 20-year-old, he refused to place anybody above Nadal.
“I can’t name him my primary rival, my primary rival remains to be Nadal,” he defined. “I simply really feel Nadal, the rivalry with Nadal is one thing that’s tough to get rid of simply because someone is doing nice issues within the final 12 months and a half. Nadal has been the most important rival and possibly will stay the most important rival I ever had in my profession.”
Djokovic has now all however misplaced his greatest rival, as Nadal just lately introduced that he shall be spending a number of months on the sidelines in a bid to return pain-free in 2024. However his return shall be extra of a farewell than a comeback.
The 14-time French Open champion believes that subsequent 12 months shall be his final as an expert tennis participant as he goals to “say goodbye to all of the essential tournaments” in his profession. With Nadal absent from his most profitable event, Djokovic has already misplaced the possibility for a showdown within the remaining.
And with Nadal’s comeback schedule nonetheless unclear, there may very well be a situation through which he by no means faces Djokovic once more relying on whether or not they can meet within the draw of any event subsequent 12 months. Both method, it stays clear that no participant will be capable of have the identical influence on Djokovic.
“Together with Federer, he was essentially the most influential in shaping me into the participant I’m in the present day,” the 36-year-old mentioned in February. Djokovic will now be left to fly the flag for the Massive Three on the upcoming French Open, as he bids to surpass Nadal and win a report twenty third males’s singles Main title with out his rival current.