Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal faced each other the last time–albeit in an exhibition–in the third-place match at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Nadal, who recently announced his retirement (effective at the end of this season), accounted himself well in the second set before losing 6-2, 7-6(5).
“The rivalry has been incredible, it has been very intense, so I hope we will have a chance to sit on the beach somewhere and have a drink reflecting on life and talking about something else,” Djokovic said during his on-court interview. “It’s been an incredible honor and pleasure to share the court with you. It’s an emotional moment and an emotional day. We’ve been playing so many matches over so many years.
“I will finish with one big thank you from not just me, but all of the tennis world, for what you have done. You have left an incredible legacy.”
“Thank you very much for all of the moments we shared on court during all of our careers,” Nadal told the 37-year-old Serb. “We have had an amazing rivalry. You helped me to go over my limits, so thank you for that–because without that, I would probably not be the player that I am today.”
Djokovic and Nadal squared off a whopping 60 times in official competitions, with Djokovic winning the head-to-head series 31-29. Nadal’s final match at Roland Garros–where he won the French Open 14 times–came against none other than Djokovic, who scored a 6-1, 6-4 victory in round two of the Paris Olympics.
The 38-year-old Spaniard will bid farewell to tennis at the Davis Cup Finals next month in Malaga.
end of an era