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. Just a couple of weeks after his triumph in Melbourne Park, the Serb rapidly shared his want to meet his rival within the French Open last with a twenty third Major up for grabs.

The 36-year-old was filled with reward for Nadal throughout a press convention at his Belgrade tennis centre again in February, explaining why the Spaniard would at all times be his greatest and greatest rival. But 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 the most matches in the history of any rivalry in tennis,” Djokovic mentioned on the time, discussing Nadal. “I would like to meet in the Roland Garros final, if I could choose, I believe we would both sign it now.”

The 93-time title winner had been questioned over whether or not he thought Carlos Alcaraz was changing into his new fundamental rival, with the pair spending the 2023 season to this point battling for the No 1 rating. Although Djokovic spoke extremely of the 20-year-old, he refused to place anybody above Nadal.

“I cannot call him my main rival, my main rival is still Nadal,” he defined. “I just feel Nadal, the rivalry with Nadal is something that is difficult to eliminate just because somebody is doing great things in the last year and a half. Nadal has been the biggest rival and probably will remain the biggest rival I ever had in my career.”

Djokovic has now all however misplaced his greatest rival, as Nadal lately introduced that he shall be spending a number of months on the sidelines in a bid to return pain-free in 2024. But his return shall be extra of a farewell than a comeback.

The 14-time French Open champion believes that subsequent yr shall be his final as an expert tennis participant as he goals to “say goodbye to all the important tournaments” in his profession. With Nadal absent from his most profitable match, Djokovic has already misplaced the possibility for a showdown within the last.

And with Nadal’s comeback schedule nonetheless unclear, there may very well be a situation during which he by no means faces Djokovic once more relying on whether or not they can meet within the draw of any match subsequent yr. Either manner, it stays clear that no participant will have the ability to have the identical influence on Djokovic.

“Along with Federer, he was the most influential in shaping me into the player I am today,” the 36-year-old mentioned in February. Djokovic will now be left to fly the flag for the Big Three on the upcoming French Open, as he bids to surpass Nadal and win a report twenty third males’s singles Major title with out his rival current.