In an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS, Rafael Nadal recognized today’s Novak Djokovic as the best tennis player of all time. Nadal’s comments come months after Djokovic broke his record of Grand Slam titles at the French Open in June and weeks after Djokovic won his 24th career major trophy at the US Open.
In making his argument, Nadal led by saying that he was “unconvinced” that Djokovic had better statistics than he did before making it clear that he would not let his career and his own ego interfering with Djokovic’s career.
“I don’t leave any rings and I don’t have a big enough ego to try to hide a fact that doesn’t exist. This is the truth,” said Nadal (translation from Spanish). “The rest are tastes, inspirations, sensations that one or the other might send you, you might like one or the other. that.
“… I congratulate you for everything you are achieving and that does not cause me any kind of frustration. I have said when I was a man who won the biggest Slams, I said it when we were connected and I say it now I’m not going to be the person who tries, through personal struggle, to want to be what he’s not I. did.”
While Djokovic, Nadal, and Roger Federer have long battled each other to become the world’s No. 1 player, Djokovic has begun to separate the two as – his age in terms of his career achievements. In addition to just the record of Grand Slam titles, Djokovic has also won 39 Masters 1000 titles and has won in every second-tier tennis tournament at least twice.
Djokovic’s level surpasses Nadal’s because Nadal has spent the past few years struggling with injuries. After pulling out of the French Open due to a hip injury, Nadal said in May that he planned to retire after the 2024 season.
