ROME, ITALY - MAY 19: Rafael Nadal of Spain shakes hands at the net after his three set victory ... [+]
Rafael Nadal’s career is winding down and 2024 could be his final year on tour.
And one of his greatest rivals hopes to play him at least one more time.
“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,” Novak Djokovic said after being named the 2024 Laureus Sportsman of the Year.
The Serb added: “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.”
World No. 1 Djokovic is the all-time men’s leader with 24 Grand Slam singles titles and is widely considered the GOAT of men’s tennis, while Nadal sits at 22 majors. Their longtime rival Roger Federer retired with 20.
Nadal, 37, is next slated to play on Wednesday in the Madrid Open against American Darwin Blanch, while Djokovic is not playing the event.
It’s unclear if both will play the Italian Open following Madrid, but both are expected to play Roland Garros, which runs May 26-June 9.
There had been speculation that Nadal might retire after Roland Garros, but he announced this week he will play for Team Europe in Laver Cup in September, suggesting he could play Wimbledon and the U.S. Open also.
"I am very happy to be playing Laver Cup in Berlin for Team Europe,” he said in a statement. “I have some really special memories from my Laver Cup experiences, including all the emotions from London two years ago playing alongside Roger for the last time.
“At this stage in my career I really want to go out there and make the most of every opportunity I am given. Teaming up is always an incredible experience and I have always enjoyed it, the competition is different and exciting. I’m looking forward to going to Berlin and helping Team Europe win back the Laver Cup."
Nadal has won the French Open 14 times and, in the last meeting between the two rivals, beat Djokovic in the quarterfinals in 2022 en route to the title.
Djokovic leads Nadal 20-7 on hardcourts, but Nadal leads 20-8 on clay. They are 2-2 on grass. In nine Grand Slam finals meetings, Nadal has won five times.
The relationship between the two men has been frosty at times.
Last September, Nadal said Djokovic would have been “frustrated” had he not set the Slams record.
“I'm not frustrated for a simple reason,” Nadal told Movistar. “I believe that, within my means, I have done everything possible to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible for me.
“Novak could be frustrated because he lives everything more intensely and that's why he's the best.”
Djokovic responded in October.
“I’ve seen that his comments went viral, that many people spoke about it,” Djokovic said in an interview with Sportal via Tennismajors.com. “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, how he interprets someone else in a certain context etc. That’s all I can say. Rafa is a great champion and I respect and appreciate him as such – as a great champion, my biggest rival and as a player who contributed to shaping my game and to results I’ve accomplished.”
He added: “I have no intention of speaking in a negative light about him or Roger Federer – my respect towards them supersedes some negative opinions I might have. Again, that’s Rafa’s opinion and I, of course, don’t agree. I have my opinion, but I won’t share it as I don’t want us to go deeper into that. There is no need for that.”
