5 friendliest interactions between Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic ft. the Serb coaching the Spaniard at the Laver Cup

The Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic rivalry is loved and admired by tennis fans all over the world. Through intense tennis matches and endearing on-court and off-court moments, the two have time and again proved that their professional relationship is surely worth looking up to.

The two have always expressed their admiration, respect, and support for each other through their post-match comments and social media. In this regard, Nadal and Djokovic have shared a range of interactions, be it through hilarious mimicry or heartwarming comments, that are worth looking back at.

With that said, let's take a look at a few of the friendliest interactions between the two tennis legends.

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#5 Djokovic imitating Nadal after the 2009 Rome Masters Finals

Rafael Nadal defeated the defending champion Novak Djokovic 7–6, 6–2 to win the 2009 Rome Masters final. However, the Serb was high in spirits despite the loss and decided to entertain the audience with an impression of his opponent during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Djokovic folded his sleeves and adjusted his shorts and socks the way Nadal does and imitated his ritual of clearing the baseline with his feet among other things that the Spaniard does before taking his stance.

The impression not only amused the audience who laughed throughout the act but also brought a smile to Nadal's face who gave Djokovic a high-five and a side hug.

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#4 Nadal praising Djokovic after the 2010 US Open final

Rafael Nadal completed the Career Grand Slam after winning the 2010 US Open final against Novak Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. However, in addition to embracing an iconic victory, Nadal was all praises for his opponent, who, despite the loss, showed great sportsmanship, and according to the Spaniard, set a great example.

Novak Djokovic (left) and Rafael Nadal at the 2010 US Open (Image via Getty)

Talking about the same in his autobiography Rafa: My Story, Nadal wrote:

“Novak Djokovic—or “Nole,” as I call him, as do his fans, friends, and family—is all of these things already. Extraordinarily gracious at a moment so bitter for him, he didn’t wait for me at the net but came over to my side of the court and embraced me, congratulated me on what I had done."

"In the presentation ceremony Nole was the first to speak, and once again, he behaved with great class, showering praise on me and thanking absent friends. He showed himself to be the most dignified of losers and a credit to our sport," he added.

In his book, Nadal predicted the bright future that lay ahead of Djokovic, something that the Serb proved by winning the most number of Grand Slams (24) in the Open Era, 13 years after the 2010 US Open Final.

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#3 Djokovic referring to the Big 3 as the 'Next Gen'

Nadal has a 20-9 win-loss record over Djokovic on clay, including a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 win over the Serb at the 2021 Rome Masters final.

Djokovic accepted the defeat with great sportsmanship and optimism and only had good things to say about Nadal and their position in the tennis circuit.

During his speech as the runner-up, Djokovic touched upon the dominance of the Big Three over the years and the next generation taking over the tennis atmosphere. Speaking on behalf of the Big Three without restricting the conversation to himself, Djokovic said (via The National):

“We are reinventing the Next Gen, Rafa, myself and Roger. We are the Next Gen."

He went on to say, "Even after all we have been through in our careers there's still this excitement when we have to face each other. At least from my side I know that that's going to be the case as long as we play against each other on this level. I'm really glad that we are showing we're not backing off from the Next Gen attacks.”

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#2 Djokovic talking about facing Nadal before their 2024 Paris Olympics match

The second-round encounter between Nadal and Djokovic was one worth looking forward to, not just for tennis fans but also for the two legends who faced each other for the 60th and probably the last time.

However, well before it was made certain that the two would finally face each other again and for the first time at the Olympics, Djokovic expressed his desire to play against Nadal in their "last dance together". He said (via India Today):

"Yeah, I mean, obviously he (Nadal) hasn't played much and his ranking drops. So, you know, there's always going to be that possibility of meeting him in early rounds and there we go, you know, it's going to be a spectacle. Definitely, if we get to meet, expect some fireworks on the court. Like the good old times. I hope we get to meet because there will probably be one last dance for both of us,"

The Serb ended up getting the better of Nadal in this iconic match.

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#1 Djokovic coaching Nadal at the Laver Cup

In what turned out to be one of the most bittersweet moments in tennis, Roger Federer bid adieu to tennis at the Laver Cup back in 2022 and as part of the same, the Big 3 of the game were seen as part of one team instead of their usual positions on either sides of the net.

As Nadal and Federer teamed up against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe, Djokovic was seen giving the duo tips to get the better of their opposing team. In a video that went viral, the conversation between the three GOATs of tennis went as follows (via Eurosport):

"I don't know what you guys feel but maybe but next few shots when Tiafie is at the back maybe change to Jack because he is a lot more tense"

Nadal further confirmed the advice given by Djokovic.

Djokovic replied, "To Frances, now he is serving, when he is in the back, make him play.

While the entire event has been etched as one of the most emotional ones in tennis history, this particular moment along with others, where the three were seen holding each other together as one of them was set to say goodbye to the game, is greatly admired by sports lovers all over.