By Reinaldo Oliveros
11 Oct 2024, 12:56 PM EDT
Novak Djokovic took the opportunity to say goodbye to Rafael Nadal after the announcement of his retirement. The Serbian tennis player did not hesitate to describe him as the greatest rival of his career.
“We knew that the moment (of his retirement) would come sooner or later, but it was still shocking,” The tennis player indicated in statements to the press after winning the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters 1,000 against the Czech Jakub Mensik (6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4).
Djokovic commented that it is a shame that injuries did not allow Nadal to play more, although he assured that he can be proud of the career he had.
“It is hard news for the world of tennis, and sport in general. “Rafa is an inspiration for millions of children around the world, so he can be very proud of his career,” he stressed.
“I have a lot of respect for him and the legacy he has created. (…) It has impacted me a lot as a player,” commemorated the one from Belgrade, who celebrated that Nadal remains linked to tennis through his academy: “We need the great idols of the sport to remain involved in some way.”
Djokovic overwhelmed by the retirement of great tennis figures
Djokovic also referred to the retirements of other greats such as the Swiss Roger Federer (2022) or the British Andy Murray, this same year:
“It’s a little overwhelming for me, I don’t know what to think. I still enjoy competing, but an important part of me goes with them.”
Djokovic and Nadal met sixty times during their sporting career, with 31 victories for the Serbian and 29 for Nadal. The last time they met was in the second round of the Paris Olympic Games, where the Spaniard, despite losing 6-1 and 6-4, evened a 4-0 deficit in the second set.
The rivalry between Nadal and Djokovic is the longest in the history of the circuitsurpassing the fifty matches between Djokovic and Federer and the 40 between Nadal and Federer.
Keep reading:
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