Novak Djokovic expressed his desire for more encounters with Rafael Nadal following his dominant 6-1, 6-4 victory over his long-time rival in the second round of the Olympics on Monday.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, won 10 of the first 11 games, threatening to deliver the most lopsided defeat in their 60th meeting before ultimately securing the win. After the match, Nadal indicated he would decide on his future in tennis after the Olympics, where he is also competing in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
Reflecting on their historic rivalry, Djokovic told reporters, “There’s no other rivalry in the history of tennis that’s had 60 matches between the two players. So I think that itself makes it very, very unique and special. I just 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 parts of the world, because I feel like it can only benefit the sport.”
Djokovic acknowledged the uncertainty of whether Monday’s match might be their last encounter. “We don’t know that. It really depends on many different factors,” he said. “It depends on whether both of us will keep going or participate in the same tournaments. I think we both want to play in the Grand Slams and the biggest tournaments. We’ll probably be very selective.”
Despite their legendary rivalry, Djokovic downplayed the idea of a close personal bond with Nadal. He explained, “It’s tough to be close, honestly, greatest rivals, and you don’t want to maybe give insights to your life or the way you feel and stuff because that can maybe expose you.” Djokovic added that while they may not be closely connected now, he hopes that in the future, once their careers end, they can reflect on their shared experiences and special moments.
Djokovic’s win also avenged his loss to Nadal in the semi-finals of the 2008 Olympics, where he had to settle for bronze. Reflecting on the match, Djokovic said, “It was an incredible match. The anticipation and hype around it were huge. I’d probably say there’s even more tension playing him at the Olympic Games because of the element of representing your country, which is so rare and only happens every four years.”
