Rafael Nadal will get one last chance to face his eternal rival, Novak Djokovic, before the Spaniard brings down the curtain on his wonderful career, as the two are scheduled to meet in the Big Six Kings of Tennis exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Nadal lost 6-3, 6-3 to Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals yesterday, Thursday, to face Djokovic in the third place match after the Serbian player lost 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 to Jannik Sinner.
World number one Siner will meet Alcaraz in the final in Riyadh, with the winner receiving a cash prize of six million dollars.
“Playing against Novak makes me feel nostalgic for the past,” Nadal told reporters. “We met a lot during my career, so it will be fun to face each other again in this match.”
22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, who announced his retirement last week, faced Djokovic in 60 matches, the largest number of matches in men’s tennis, and won 29 times, compared to 31 for the Serbian.
The last time Nadal faced Djokovic, who has 24 Grand Slam titles, was in the second round of the Paris Olympics, where he lost 6-1, 6-4.
Nadal, who also played with Alcaraz in men’s doubles at the Olympics, could repeat the same thing in the Davis Cup finals in Malaga from November 19-24.
Nadal (38 years old) said, “Psychologically, I am confident in my readiness, but from a physical standpoint, there is a month left to prepare. If I do not feel ready for the singles matches, I will be the first to say so, and let’s see if I can help the team in some way.”
Nadal added that Alcaraz is going great in his career and does not need a lot of advice from him.
He continued, “He has a great team and a wonderful family. His abilities enable him to perform wonderfully and he learns all the time. He is developing in all aspects. Of course, I am happy to give him advice anytime he wants.”
ظهرت في الأصل على www.eremnews.com