Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal at the Olympics.
Novak Djokovic opened up on his relationship with Rafael Nadal after beating him at the Olympics (Image: Getty)
Novak Djokovic has shed light on his friendship with Rafael Nadal after beating the Spaniard in the second round of the Olympics.
Nadal has undoubtedly been Djokovic’s strongest nemesis, and Tuesday’s match marked their 60th encounter.
Although their careers had been so interwoven, the Serb later revealed that he hadn’t been able to “connect” with the 38-year-old.
“I think there is truly no brotherhood. It’s more rivalry, colleagues, respecting each other, enjoying each other’s careers, and what we have achieved and delivered to the sport,” Djokovic said after beating Nadal 6-1, 6-4.
Explaining why they couldn’t be friends, the 24-time Grand Slam champion continued: “It’s harder to be close, honestly. [We’re] our greatest rivals, and you don’t want to maybe provide insights into your life or the way you feel and stuff because that might expose you and stuff.
“I guess that’s one of the reasons why we didn’t connect so close and I don’t think at that level you can really connect so close to anybody.”
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But Djokovic is leaving the door open for friendship when they have both retired. He added: “But who knows? When the career finishes for both of us, it’s a long life, hopefully for both of us, We’re both family people, and perhaps we can address the other side of the relationship and reflect on things that we went through together, that we lived together, the great times, in a different way.”
For now, the world No. 2 hopes to continue his professional connection with Nadal by facing off at least one more time until the ends of their respective careers. “Of course it can be, but we don’t know that,” he answered when asked whether his Olympic triumph over Nadal could have been their last encounter.
“It truly relies on many different circumstances, it depends on whether both of us will keep going and whether we’re going to play in the same tournaments or not. I think we both want to play in the Grand Slams and the biggest tournaments.
“I don’t know, we’ll probably be extremely selective, I can speak on my behalf, and I’ll be quite selective with the events in which I participate. I simply hope, for the sake of our rivalry and the sport in general, that we’ll get to face each other once, or maybe a few times, on different surfaces in different areas of the world, because I feel like it can only enhance the sport.
“But like I said, I don’t know how he feels in his body, what his goals are, Let’s hope we can play some more. I hope we’re going to play more because every match is like a present, to us and to the sport itself.”
