Nadal and Djokovic’s final matchup, Sabalenka earns No. 1 and more from the week in tennis
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have played in some epic matches over the years.
There was the 2012 Australian Open final, in which Djokovic needed almost six hours to defeat Nadal in five mind-blowing sets. And of course the French Open semifinals the following year, where Nadal held off a comeback-minded Djokovic for a dramatic five-set victory in what some consider one of the best clay matches of all time.
And lest we forget the 2014 final at Roland Garros, or the 2018 semifinals at Wimbledon. The pair recorded 60 official head-to-head showdowns, so the list truly goes on and on.
On Saturday, the legends met again for one last time in a match that won’t end up on a “Best of” list, but was one of the more emotional encounters between the two. With Nadal retiring from tennis next month following the Davis Cup, the two played a third-place match — yes, times have changed — at the “Six Kings Slam” exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nadal and Djokovic had secured byes into the semifinals of the six-player event and, because they both lost their respective matches against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, both made it to the consolation match. While it didn’t officially count as their 61st meeting, it still served as a fond farewell to one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever known.
Much like at their last meeting during the Olympics in Paris this summer, Djokovic took control early before Nadal raised his level in the second set. But, also like in Paris, Djokovic ultimately found a way to win and closed out the 6-2, 7-6 (5) match in 90 minutes. However, unlike at the Games, the result really wasn’t what mattered on Saturday. Instead, it was the clear admiration between the two at the net and after that will be most remembered.
After exchanging a warm hug, Djokovic was candid about his feelings for his longtime foe when speaking to the crowd.
“I go back to the very first match we played and who would [have known] we would be standing here almost 20 years later, playing 60 times,” Djokovic said. “I have the utmost respect for you. Incredible athlete, incredible person. The rivalry has been incredible, very intense, so I hope we will have the chance to sit on the bench somewhere, have a drink and reflect.
“I know how much sacrifice [Nadal has made]. It is an emotional day, so don’t leave tennis, man! Stay with us. You have left an amazing legacy.”
Nadal, who was presented with a golden racket from the tournament organizers, went on to thank the crowd for their continued support over the years and said he would miss “almost everything” about being a professional tennis player.
“It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years being competitive, having the chance to play in the best places in the world, which I watched on TV as a kid,” Nadal said.
Sinner won the overall event crown — and a $6 million paycheck — later that day following a 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3 comeback victory over Alcaraz.
Here’s what else you might have missed from around the tennis world last week:
Sabalenka back on top
After winning the title in Wuhan last week, Aryna Sabalenka had narrowed the deficit between herself and Iga Swiatek to just 69 points in the rankings. With neither back in action until the WTA Finals, it seemed likely Swiatek would hold onto the top spot until then, and that the year-end No. 1 would be decided at the WTA’s marquee event.
And while that battle for year-end supremacy still could happen next month, Sabalenka took over the top spot earlier than expected in the latest rankings following “year-end adjustments for falling short of certain tournament quotas,” according to the WTA.
Neither Swiatek or Sabalenka played in the required six 500-level events this season, causing Swiatek, who played in just two, to lose 120 points and Sabalenka, who participated in four, to lose 10. The final 500-level tournament of the year gets underway this week in Tokyo, but neither are in the draw and both will lose more points in the next rankings. With a large gap between them and everyone else, they will remain in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots however.
Despite the somewhat anticlimactic way of getting there, Sabalenka seemed thrilled to be back at No. 1 for the second time in her career. She previously reached the milestone last season but relinquished it back to Swiatek after just eight weeks. The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion jokingly referenced her previous reign in a social media post on Monday morning.
