Rafael Nadal might have managed to defeat the Russian tennis star, Daniil Medvedev. However, what followed was a pitifully awkward time for Nadal. Recently, the Spaniard had to sit quietly, hiding his awkwardness, while the Russian player Daniil Medvedev sang praises for rival Novak Djokovic.
The world No. 5 Tennis player continued to praise Novak Djokovic for exceeding the records of the Spaniard and Roger Federer before the ATP Finals. And on the side, Rafael Nadal was compelled to sit next to Daniil Medvedev. In a group interview with the eight players competing in the season-ending championships, Nadal awkwardly listened as Medvedev praised his rival.
Medvedev Singing Praises For Djokovic Makes Rafael Nadal Visibly Awkward!
The only Grand Slam champions from this season, when Carlos Alcaraz was forced to withdraw, are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. They are also competing at this week\’s ATP Finals. Not only that, they are the eldest players on the court. So, in order to advance to the semifinals and championship match, the eight men who earned the highest ranking points in a single year compete against one another in round-robin matches.
Four championships each won this year by the two multi-Grand Slam champions, who have both continued to make history. The Serb increased his record of Masters 1000 wins as Nadal became the first person to win his 21st and 22nd Grand Slam championships. And recently, while Medvedev was seated next to Rafael Nadal in an interview, he continued to praise Djokovic for breaking through to the tour and surpassing Federer and Nadal.
The 15-time champion then moved his focus to Djokovic, noting how remarkable it was for the Serb to emerge on the scene following \”Fedal\” and surpass them in terms of records, such as weeks at the top. When Rafael Nadal first joined the tour, everyone said that he wouldn\’t accomplish as much as Roger and Rafael. But he proved them wrong with a racquet in his hand.
This week, Medvedev will face Djokovic as they are in the Red Group with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev. They can only play Rafael Nadal if they all advance the group stage and into the semifinals and championship match.
Casper Ruud Also Discuss The Nadal-Djokovic Rivalry
Seeing two greats, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, playing against each other is always a great treat for Tennis lovers. Meanwhile, recently Norwegian Tennis star Casper Ruud has also shared his thoughts about the epic rivalry.
Rudd believes that one of the finest sporting events that viewers can see is the match between Nadal and Djokovic. When it comes to the men\’s game, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer dominated. Ruud, who reached two Grand Slam finals in 2023, grew up watching them. As a tennis pro now, Ruud has the opportunity to face off the legends he grew up admiring and idolizing.