World No. 7 Novak Djokovic has faced Rafael Nadal 60 times and edges him 31-29 in their head-to-head meetings.
Novak Djokovic recalled getting intimidated by Rafael Nadal and described how he felt when he was in the locker room with the Spaniard. There won’t be another Djokovic versus Nadal match as the 38-year-old bade his farewell last year in November after losing the first match of the quarterfinal tie in the Davis Cup.
Djokovic, during an interview with GQ magazine, said how, during warm-ups, the 14-time French Open champion used to make his ‘presence felt’ by jumping and sprinting in the corridor and listening to music at a high volume.
He was not at his best last year after making his comeback following a long injury layoff. The King of Clay even succumbed to a straight-set defeat in the first round of the French Open, the tournament where he ruled for almost two decades. But Djokovic knows how Nadal in his prime was a nightmare for many players.
Djokovic has dominated almost every player but against Nadal, he only has a slight edge in their head-to-head record (31-29). They last met in the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympics which Djokovic won before going on to clinch the gold medal.
Novak Djokovic is preparing for the Australian Open which begins on Sunday (January 12). He will be chasing his record 11th title in Melbourne, last winning the trophy in 2023 with a straight-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
Last year he had a inconsistent year on ATP Tour for a whole year winning no title, only twice reaching the finals, at Wimbledon and Shanghai Masters. In the 2024 Australian Open, he reached the semifinals but lost in four sets to the winner of that tournament, Jannik Sinner.
Indeed, to wok his game and to be able to challenge the young stars of the Australian Open, Djokovic hired his long-term rival Andy Murray. He had hoped to triumph in Brisbane International for the first time in his career, which is an ATP 250 tournament, but crashed out of the quarters after losing in straight sets to Reilly Opelka.
This year, in the first round, he faces 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, who received a wild card and will make his debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament.