Nadal and Djokovic say goodbye to the golden age of tennis

It was inevitable that any true tennis fan would feel a sense of melancholy this Saturday, watching the final duel between Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal.

With the final point scored in this game, the golden era of tennis drew to a close. First, it was Roger Federer who bid farewell in 2022, signalling the approaching end of a remarkable generation of legends. Now, it is Nadal’s turn to say goodbye, with his official retirement next month set to come in the Davis Cup.

Meanwhile, Djokovic, despite showing signs of fatigue this season, still has some fight left, as he often likes to say. His superior form carried him to an ultimately straight-forward victory against his greatest rival in the third-place game of the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, with a score of 6-2, 7-6 (5) played over 1 hour and 31 minutes.

'It has been a great pleasure to share the court with you'

“I don’t even know how to begin,” Djokovic said. “I remember our first match. Who would have thought we’d be here today? You are an incredible athlete and an extraordinary person, with a magnificent career. I hope to see you on the beach one day. Congratulations to your entire team and family for the sacrifices required to be part of a professional tennis career. It has been a great pleasure to share the court with you. We’ve played so many matches over so many years. Thank you, not just from me but from the whole world, for what you have given to tennis.”

Nadal responded, “Thank you for everything, for what you said, and for the incredible rivalry we’ve shared. You’ve pushed me to my limits all these years. I wish you and your team the very best for the future. I will miss everything. It’s been over 20 years of a career where my dreams have come true, and I’ve had incredible support from the tennis community. I’ve been very lucky in everything.” Nadal made these remarks after receiving a golden racket from Turki Al-Sheikh, the tournament’s organiser.

Who won more matches between Nadal and Djokovic?

This match marked the unofficial epilogue to tennis’s greatest and most enduring rivalry. Djokovic had already sealed the head-to-head count in his favor (31-29) with a decisive victory at the Paris Olympics.

Sixty encounters, sixty stories—many in Grand Slam finals between two players who boast the most major titles in history: 24 for Djokovic, 22 for Nadal. They’ve also met in Masters 1000 (40-36), both have Olympic medals and Davis Cup victories, and both have held the World No. 1 ranking for countless weeks.

These numbers, staggering as they are, tell only part of the story. What truly matters is the impact this rivalry has had on the sport and the millions of fans it has inspired, as well as the dreams it has sparked in children around the globe.

Sadly, Rafa’s body has had enough. Years of punishing, explosive tennis have taken their toll. His retirement is a sacrifice for which we can only feel gratitude, for all the joy and excitement he brought to the game.

Djokovic, on the other hand, still has some fuel left in the tank as he faces the emerging duopoly of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who are rapidly closing in. Since that quarterfinal at Roland Garros in 2006, which Nadal won after Djokovic withdrew with a double 6-4 lead, 18 magnificent years of rivalry have unfolded between these two icons. Nadal takes pride in having won their last two finals on the clay courts of Paris (2020) and Rome (2021).

Their final match could have taken place in a more fitting location—perhaps one that could have set the stage for one of their epic showdowns. But, as is often the case, money spoke, and their last dance took place in Saudi Arabia—a country that is making strides to open itself to the world, though still viewed with skepticism by some, including players like Norway’s Casper Ruud, who has chosen not to compete there.

Nonetheless, the significance of the occasion transcended the setting. It was the end of a magnificent and unforgettable chapter in tennis history.