Riyadh: Novak Djokovic has asked his old rival Rafael Nadal to postpone his planned retirement from the game as the pair faced off against each other in what was likely to be the final chapter of their “incredible rivalry” on court over the years.
“Don’t quit tennis, man,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview after beating Nadal in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia.
He added that their fights over the years had been “very intense” and told Nadal he hoped they could one day “sit on a beach somewhere” and have a drink.
The Serbian player’s statements come in the wake of Nadal’s announcement on October 10, when he said that he would bid farewell to the game after the Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month.
Organizers of the Saudi event described Saturday’s match as perhaps Nadal’s last singles competition as a professional.
Earlier, the Spaniard said on Thursday that he was not sure if he would be fit enough to play singles in Malaga.
Djokovic and Nadal – two of the sport’s famous “Big Three” alongside Roger Federer – faced each other 60 times in the main round before Saturday’s exhibition match, with Djokovic holding a slim 31-29 lead.
Their last confrontation came during the Paris Olympics on the same courts as Roland Garros, where Nadal won 14 French Open titles, although Djokovic easily won 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles during his career, two more than Nadal.
Saturday’s match was mostly one-sided, with Nadal committing many errors and Djokovic clinching the first set in just 31 minutes.
Riding on the support of the crowd who openly cheered Djokovic’s double faults, Nadal rallied to push the second set to a tie-break, holding off winners and even rewarding the fans with a final fist pump before conceding to Djokovic.
Djokovic (37 years old) said in a press conference after the match: “It is wonderful to see him continuing to fight despite his injuries and suffering.”
He added: “It was a very emotional day, a special day” because it was “the last time I face my biggest rival, Nadal.”
“I saw Andy Murray retire this year, and Roger (Federer) a few years ago as well. And now Rafa, you know. It’s hard in a way to see them go, because I played with them my whole career.
After receiving the golden tennis racket, Nadal, in turn, thanked Djokovic for the “amazing competition” and “for all the moments we shared on the court.”
“Thank you Novak (Djokovic) for everything, for all the moments we shared on court during our careers. It was an amazing competition,” said Nadal, whose record 22 Grand Slam titles were broken by Djokovic.
“In a personal way, you have helped me push my limits in almost 15 years. Without that, I would not be the player I am today. Congratulations on all the titles and a great career for you and your team. I wish you all the best for the future,” he added.