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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have had some intense encounters over the years. Recently, tennis fans took a stroll down memory lane and recalled the famous clash between the two legends at the 2013 Canadian Open.
One of the defining moments of the match was the Serb staring down Nadal after the latter accidentally hit him in the face.
The two players split the first two sets in the Montreal semifinal, taking it to a decider. During a rally in the third set, Nadal hit a shot that went straight at Djokovic. Despite the Spaniard's apology, the Serbian great was seemingly not pleased with the action and gave him a 'stare.'
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A decade later, tennis fans are still talking about the iconic match and the subsequent 'staredown' between the two. One fan on Twitter called the Serb "a drama queen," writing:
"Djokovic is the ATP's Drama Queen and the reign has been long."
Another fan called the 23-time Grand Slam winner a 'hypocrite' and a "poor athlete."
"Djoker is weak and hypocrite. Poor athlete. No wonder he's never be a GOAT. FACT," they wrote.
One user on Twitter pointed out that Nadal apologized immediately, and criticized Djokovic for seemingly not accepting the apology.
"Nadal literally apologize and Novak Djokovic decided to act like he got his nose broken or something. If Novak did that to Rafa he ain’t even apologizing."
Below are a few more fan reactions:
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have faced each other 59 times
Djokovic and Nadal have locked horns with each other 59 times on the tour. Djokovic currently leads the head-to-head 30–29.
They met for the last time in the 2022 French Open quarterfinals, which went in favor of Nadal 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).
Their first meeting was at the French Open too, back in 2006. Unfortunately, the Belgrade-born player was not able to finish the match as he retired midway through the encounter due to an injury. Nadal had already won the first two sets at the time of his opponent's retirement.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
