“He is my most important rival”: Novak Djokovic expresses desire to face Rafael Nadal ‘one or two’ time before his retirement
ATPTuesday, 23 April 2024 at 10:10
Serbia’s legendary tennis star Novak Djokovic has expressed
his desire to face the former world number one Rafael Nadal ‘one or two’ times
before his retirement. Both players are regarded as two of the greatest players
in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category.
Nadal has struggled with injury concerns in the last couple
of years. It was because of this reason he ended up missing three out of four
Grand Slams in 2023. During his time off the court, the 22-time Grand Slam
winner announced that the 2024 season would be his last. Nadal returned to
professional tennis at the start of 2024 where once again he got injured in the
Brisbane International and was subsequently ruled out of action for four
months.
Djokovic, during the Laureus Awards, while talking to the
media, expressed his desire to face Nadal at least ‘one or two’ times before
the end of his career. "I have a lot of respect for a legend like him,
with whom I hope to be able to play at least one more time before he
retires," said Djokovic. "I have a lot of respect for Rafa, he is a
good person and a legend of our sport, he is my most important rival. In
Australia, I said I hoped to see him in one or two tournaments and I hope to do
that.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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