Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal randomly bump into each other on flight to America ahead of Indian Wells
ATP
What are the chances of two tennis legends playing in the same tournament in the coming weeks boarding the same plane to the same place? Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal met those criteria on Friday as they traveled on a commercial flight to the USA and snapped a photo together.
Having seen each other many times on the court over the years and been rivals for over a decade, they've certainly seen plenty of each other. But they managed to delight the fans with a photo opportunity together with two legends that they will hope to see on court again together before Nadal potentially calls it a day.
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"Great company on the way to USA," Djokovic wrote. Both players are on their way to the USA for the Sunshine Double. Nadal will play the so-called Netflix Slam next weekend where he will take part in private sessions with fans for $150,000 per time before facing his fellow Spaniard and then playing Indian Wells. He will make his tennis return after deciding against playing at the Qatar Open this week at Indian Wells. He decided not to enter the Miami Open.
Djokovic on the other hand will tick off another notch to his list in terms of returning, he will play Indian Wells for the first time since 2019 after being away from the tournament for several years due to COVID-19 vaccine rules. He has won five-times including three in a row in the past and he will play for the first time since Jannik Sinner found his way past him at the Australian Open. Knowing Djokovic too with critics circling, he will look to prove a point and often does. But for now fans will revel in this moment between two of the best of all time.
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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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