Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic: The great rivalry

[Sweater of AV]

While Djokovic and Nadal have cemented themselves as the two greatest players of all time, their rivalry often goes underappreciated by many people. The Nadal-Djokovic rivalry is one of the greatest in men's tennis history and has produced the highest level of tennis to date. No rivalry in the Open era has been as prolific.

They first played in 2006 and currently Novak leads 30-29 with 2024 likely being Nadal's final year on the tour. No two men have faced each other more times in the Open era. Of their 59 matches, 28 were finals which is also a record.

Some statistics that show just how competitive the rivalry has been:

• Nadal leads 20-8 on clay
• Novak leads 20-7 on hard
• Tied 2-2 on grass

• In finals, Djokovic leads 15-13.

• At grand slams, Nadal leads with a record of 11-7 and is 5-4 in finals.

• Their primes overlapped from roughly 2008 to 2014 when both were already grand slam champions. Over those seven years they are tied 17-17 which is similar to the overall rivalry.

• Both were dominant over their counterparts, including Roger Federer, who has a strong case for the third greatest player in history. Nadal is 24-16 against Federer with an impressive record of 10-4 at grand slams. Novak is 27-23 against Federer and also holds an impressive 11-6 record at grand slams.

Their rivalry has been the pinnacle of tennis and they've produced some of the best matches in history, many of which were brutal battles of attrition.




It's going to be a sad day when both have officially retired. Hopefully the two greatest of all-time have the chance to share the court once more before retirement.

 

[Bojka]

Nadal hasn't beaten Novak off clay in over 10 years now. Hasn't taken a set off him on hard court in that time. 19 straight sets won on hard court for Novak.

Keep in mind that Novak didn't even enter his prime until 2011.

The only matches Nadal has won off clay since Novak's prime started is 2013 Canada (in a 3rd set tie break) and 2013 US Open.

Surface head to head since 2011:

Hard: 13-2 Djokovic
Grass: 2-0 Djokovic
Clay: 11-9 Nadal

 

[Sweater of AV]

Nadal hasn't beaten Novak off clay in over 10 years now. Hasn't taken a set off him on hard court in that time. 19 straight sets won on hard court for Novak.

Keep in mind that Novak didn't even enter his prime until 2011.

The only matches Nadal has won off clay since Novak's prime started is 2013 Canada (in a 3rd set tie break) and 2013 US Open.

Novak's prime started well before 2011.

2011 was one of his best years, along with 2015. Your prime doesn't magically start only when you have your best season and become number one in the world lol. He was 24, in his 6th season on tour, and had been one of the best players in the world for many years.

They beat each other many times during what the majority of logical people consider their primes.

 

[MM808]

Im a Nadal guy but can’t deny that Djoker is the GOAT. I feel honored to be able to follow their entire careers and rivalry (with Fed too)

 

[Bojka]

Novak's prime started well before 2011.

2011 was one of his best years, along with 2015. Your prime doesn't magically start only when you have your best season and become number one in the world lol. He was 24, in his 6th season on tour, and had been one of the best players in the world for many years.

They beat each other many times during what the majority of logical people consider their primes.

Novak didn't beat a single top 10 player in 2010 prior to the US Open (eventually beat Federer in the semis coming back from double match point down). He had a big time lull after winning the 2008 AO and didn't become a dominant player until 2011.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Novak didn't beat a single top 10 player in 2010 prior to the US Open. He had a big time lull after winning the 2008 AO and didn't become a dominant player until 2011.

That doesn't change the fact that he was in his prime years during that time. Your prime years and your results are different things.

You don't get to count "prime" as only when you have your best results. Novak made the semis or better of nine grand slams prior to 2011. It's ridiculous to think he was only in his prime starting in 2011.

 

[Bojka]

That doesn't change the fact that he was in his prime years during that time. Your prime years and your results are different things.

You don't get to count "prime" as only when you have your best results. Novak made the semis or better of eight grand slams prior to 2011. It's ridiculous to think he was only in his prime starting in 2011.

Even Roddick led the h2h (5-3) against Novak before 2011. He said the key to having a leading h2h over Novak was retiring early.

Keep in mind that Novak was ranked in the top 4 for all of his matches with Roddick. But he was pre-prime for all but 1 of them.

Big win for Nadal getting some wins over a Novak that Roddick beat most of the time.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Even Roddick led the h2h (5-3) against Novak before 2011. He said the key to having a leading h2h over Novak was retiring early.

Keep in mind that Novak was ranked in the top 4 for all of his matches with Roddick. But he was pre-prime for all but 1 of them.

Big win for Nadal getting some wins over a Novak that Roddick beat most of the time.

And? You're now going through specific records to try and claim Novak wasn't in his prime? Lol

Nadal lost to Fognini three times in 2015 so he couldn't have been in his prime at any time after 2014. Great logic bud.



Just appreciate both instead of being a donkey.

 

[Bojka]

And? You're now going through specific records to try and claim Novak wasn't in his prime? Lol

Nadal lost to Fognini three times in 2015 so he couldn't have been in his prime at any time after 2014. Great logic bud.



Just appreciate both instead of being a donkey.

Yeah and he lost to Rosol and Darcis in 2012 and 2013. He was always susceptible to upsets.

He won his US Opens beating only a few top players. He would usually get guys like Gasquet or Youzhny in the semis.

Outside of his 2 wins over Novak in 2010 and 2013, the only top 10 players Nadal beat to win his 4 US Opens were young Medvedev (in 5 sets), Gasquet, and Verdasco.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Yeah and he lost to Rosol and Darcis in 2012 and 2013. He was always susceptible to upsets.

He won his US Opens beating only a few top players. He would usually get guys like Gasquet or Youzhny in the semis.

Outside of his 2 wins over Novak in 2010 and 2013, the only top 10 players Nadal beat to win his 4 US Opens were Murray (went 1-1 with him there), Gasquet, and Verdasco.

Lol at trying this cherry-picking nonsense after getting owned by your own argument.

Everyone will listen to Novak over a belligerent fan girl on Sherdog that has no interest in being objective.



I'm glad you're enjoying the thread though

 

[Bojka]

Lol at trying this cherry-picking nonsense after getting owned by your own argument.

Everyone will listen to Novak over a belligerent fan girl on Sherdog that has no interest in being objective.



I'm glad you're enjoying the thread though

Even Roddick admits Novak wasn't in his prime when he was beating him. He has joked about it quite a bit because he gets asked about it frequently. There isn't much debate about this, but it doesn't matter either.

I think Nadal fans were holding onto hope that Novak would get stopped by Alcaraz et al and Nadal could win RG next year. I guess the nail in the coffin yesterday prompted you to start this thread and look for some consolation. I'll let you get back to it.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Even Roddick admits Novak wasn't in his prime when he was beating him. He has joked about it quite a bit because he gets asked about it frequently. There isn't much debate about this, but it doesn't matter either.

I think Nadal fans were holding onto hope that Novak would get stopped by Alcaraz et al and Nadal could win RG next year. I guess the nail in the coffin yesterday prompted you to start this thread and look for some consolation. I'll let you get back to it.

I'm a fan of both, little one. This thread is an example of objectively celebrating two people and their rivalry. Oh and I was hoping Novak won yesterday. No objective person thinks Novak only hit his prime in 2011. Your absolute best and your prime are clearly two different things, as Roddick and everyone else knows well.

Now that we've cleared up your stupidity, you can move along. Or stay. I'm happy with either. Making you look like an idiot is fun.

 

[Sweater of AV]

 

[nostradumbass]

Been pretty good, but as others have mentioned, the numbers look extremely back and forth when taken in their career total, but it was mainly separated into Nadal being clearly better before 25, and Djokovic clearly better after 25 after he because obsessive about his diet and fitness. Much like all of their hairlines, Nadal and Federer won early, but Novak got the last laugh there.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Been pretty good, but as others have mentioned, the numbers look extremely back and forth when taken in their career total, but it was mainly separated into Nadal being clearly better before 25, and Djokovic clearly better after 25 after he because obsessive about his diet and fitness. Much like all of their hairlines, Nadal and Federer won early, but Novak got the last laugh there.

Eh, they're one year apart in age. Novak turned 25 in 2012. Since the start of 2012 Novak leads 17-13. It's not that big of a discrepancy or extremely lopsided one way or the other. Novak has definitely been able to keep his body together better than Nadal (and Federer) though.

 

[MM808]

Eh, they're one year apart in age. Novak turned 25 in 2012. Since the start of 2012 Novak leads 17-13. It's not that big of a discrepancy or extremely lopsided one way or the other. Novak has definitely been able to keep his body together better than Nadal (and Federer) though.

That is what surprised me. Early on, Novak was easily considered the weak minded one of the 3 and least athletic/in shape. I remember a point where he would retire multiple times because he couldn’t handle the heat or was too tired to continue playing. Kudos for completely changing that and becoming the model for longevity in the sport.

 

[Sweater of AV]

That is what surprised me. Early on, Novak was easily considered the weak minded one of the 3 and least athletic/in shape. I remember a point where he would retire multiple times because he couldn’t handle the heat or was too tired to continue playing. Kudos for completely changing that and becoming the model for longevity in the sport.

Yeah I was pretty surprised as well at how he turned things around. Everything from having trouble breathing to needing to bounce the ball 30 times before each serve...it didn't look good for a while there. Nadal was always the toughest mentally and physically and to see Djokovic rise to that level was pretty incredible.

 

[nostradumbass]

Eh, they're one year apart in age. Novak turned 25 in 2012. Since the start of 2012 Novak leads 17-13. It's not that big of a discrepancy or extremely lopsided one way or the other. Novak has definitely been able to keep his body together better than Nadal (and Federer) though.

Yeah, was after his match with Tsonga at AO in 2010 when he was up 2 sets and went and hurled in the bathroom and lost. I think he had celiacs and his parents owned a bakery or pizzeria or something, so had every food sensitivity tested and cut like everything out of his diet and focused on fitness. Who knows if he even had celiacs or if it was just trendy at the time, but he did switch to an obsessively clean diet and ramped up his fitness after that.

Before that, the rivalry was on everything but clay with Nadal winning the clay matches, and after that, the rivalry was on only clay with Djokovic winning on anything else.

 

[Sweater of AV]

 

[Madmick]

While Djokovic and Nadal have cemented themselves as the two greatest players of all time

Who's the greatest men's tennis player of all-time?

Copium.