Rafael Nadal hails Novak Djokovic as ‘the best I ever played and ever saw’ in one key area.
Rafael Nadal has given his verdict on why tennis fans enjoyed this rivalry with Roger Federer more than his battles with Novak Djokovic.
In an interview with former world No 1 Andy Roddick on his Served podcast, 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal opened up on a wide range of topics as he looked back on his remarkable story in tennis.
And when it came to the two rivalries that defined his career, Nadal suggested there was a reason why tennis fans around the world were more eager to see him play Roger Federer than they were to see him take on Novak Djokovic.
Nadal, Federer and Djokovic won a remarkable 66 Grand Slam titles between them as they re-write the record books, yet the Spaniard believes there was a reason why his matches with Federer resonated more with a tennis audience.
“With Roger, the rivalry was a little bit more attractive for the fans than with Novak against me,” he declared.
“Even if I played more times against Novak and we played the same important matches or even more, but with Roger the strategy was more clear.
“He was trying to do one thing, I was trying to do another thing. I was trying to kill his backhand all the time and even if I had the chance to play the shot down the line (to his forehand side), it is only for two reasons. One, I go for the winner or two because I need to put him away from that side to create more space.
“He was trying to avoid that, he was trying to play more aggressive and every time he hit a forehand, I would take a step back. For me, his forehand was the best I played against.
“It was like a chess match. Everyone knows what’s going to happen. Everyone knows what the strategy is going to be.”
When he turned his attention to his matches against Djokovic, Nadal offered some generous words to a rival who will finish ahead of his two great rivals in the race to be known as the most successful male tennis player of all-time.
While Federer and Nadal’s rivalry has turned into a strong friendship between the duo, that has not always been reciprocated with Djokovic.
Yet Nadal accepted Roddick’s suggestion that the three most prolific winners in men’s tennis drove each other to fresh heights as they rewrote the tennis record books.
“Against Novak, it was a little bit different. We can have a strategy, but I needed to play very well against him,” he stated.
“We don’t play the same style, but it is not a clear strategy against Novak. Against Roger, I damage him with his backhand. Against Novak, I don’t have that feeling.
“So I started to use the slice against him. Sometimes it worked me well. Also, I played more to the middle. Don’t give him a lot of angles.
“In terms of ball control, he is the best I ever played and I ever saw.”
