Rafael Nadal once responded with humility to being called the ‘best ever’ player by his arch-rival Novak Djokovic.
“I’m happy about what he said; thank you, Novak Djokovic, but that’s not true.” Rafael Nadal spoke on being called the ‘best ever’ player by Serb
The rivalry between Djokovic and Nadal is among the best in tennis history. In their 59 meetings, the Serbs have a slim 30-29 advantage in their head-to-head record. One of their many notable fights happened in the Indian Wells final in 2011. In a fiercely contested match, Djokovic prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, maintaining his winning record for the year.
Mutual respect has characterized Nadal and Djokovic’s off-court relationship despite their intense on-court competition. This was clear even after their thrilling match at Indian Wells, where Djokovic referred to the Spaniard as the “best ever” and predicted he would overtake Roger Federer, who at the time held 16 major championships, in Grand Slam victories.
