During the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia in October, Rafael Nadal faced Novak Djokovic in one final showdown. Together with Roger Federer, Djokovic has been one of Nadal’s fiercest rivals throughout his storied career.
In October, shortly after announcing his retirement from professional tennis, the Spanish legend gave an exclusive interview to Diario AS. He discussed his career, his rivals, and the factors that have shaped the dominance of Djokovic and Federer over the years.
Nadal acknowledged Djokovic’s unparalleled consistency and resilience as key to his success. “He’s a player who has managed to maintain a very high level of play and improve every year,” Nadal explained.
“The numbers say he’s the best, which means his level of tennis has also been the best. Moreover, he’s the one who’s stayed furthest away from injuries,” he added. “When you don’t have significant, prolonged injuries, it not only helps you physically but also gives you a mental edge—an absence of fear.”
Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Roger Federer of Switzerland pose for a photo with their trophies after 2019 Wimbledon final. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Nadal about his injuries
Nadal was candid about how injuries impacted his career, especially compared to his rivals. “It’s clear that I’ve missed more opportunities to win Grand Slams than all my rivals due to injuries, but that’s just how it’s been,” Nadal admitted. “I never dwell on the ‘what ifs.’ I’ve had a career I never imagined, and I’m more than happy with it.”
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Despite his competitive nature, Nadal emphasized that his pursuit of greatness was driven by personal ambition rather than obsession. “You want to be the best when you’re competing—it’s the nature of the sport,” he continued. “But for me, it was always about personal motivation and pushing myself to be better. I believe in having big, healthy ambition. But as I said to Federer recently, when your career ends, it’s not about how many Grand Slams you’ve won.”
Nadal elaborated further: “I’m no more satisfied with 22 Grand Slam titles than Federer is with 20. And I wouldn’t feel any happier with 25 titles, one more than Djokovic’s 24. What matters is knowing you gave your all and turned your childhood hobby into a major part of your life.”
The ‘Big Three’: A legacy beyond titles
For many, the “Big Three”—Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic—represent the pinnacle of tennis history. Their Grand Slam totals alone speak volumes about their dominance. However, Nadal argued that greatness isn’t solely measured by those numbers, nor does he believe his career would have been different without such fierce competition.
“People can say that if I hadn’t had injuries or had different rivals… but I had the rivals I had. And I believe they pushed us all to be better,” Nadal said. “Maybe if I’d had different competition, I wouldn’t have reached the same level of tennis or competitiveness that I did.”
Could Nadal’s retirement influence Djokovic?
When asked about Djokovic’s future, Nadal offered an intriguing perspective: “I think it’s only natural that Novak, even if he stays healthy, will eventually feel the passage of time,” Nadal reflected. “Once Federer retired, and now that I’ve retired—his two biggest rivals—it’s human to experience a mental dip and start questioning his motivations.”
Still, Nadal praised Djokovic’s ability to remain competitive: “If Novak stays healthy and happy, he’s good enough to keep competing at the highest level and winning major tournaments. But if he ever feels it’s not worth the sacrifices, he’ll step away, as we all eventually do.”
