Rafael Nadal teases future Novak Djokovic collab after Serb's retirement tribute

Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will retire at the end of the 2024 season, with his final match set for the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain. Following the announcement, his arch-rival Novak Djokovic shared a heartfelt tribute, with the Spaniard now hinting at a potential future collaboration between the two.

Many well-wishers flooded in following Nadal's announcement, including Djokovic, who, although a bit late, shared a long message, assuring his longtime rival that he would be physically present at his farewell.

The Serb wrote on Instagram:

"Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that's probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for."

"I wish you best possible farewell in Malaga with Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person to pay respect to your stellar career," he added.

Nadal later shared Djokovic's post on his Instagram story, hinting at an upcoming collaboration, with the following caption:

"Hvala ti Nole! Many things we've lived and many more to come."

Nadal via Instagram

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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic's last professional match took place at Paris Olympics 2024

Djokovic and Nadal pictured at the 2024 Paris Olympics | Image Source: Getty

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have built one of the most iconic rivalries in tennis history, facing each other 60 times on the ATP Tour. The Serb holds a narrow 31-29 lead in their head-to-head record.

The legendary duo’s last professional encounter came at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Djokovic triumphed over Nadal 6-1, 6-4 to progress further in the tournament. He went on to win the gold, defeating another Spaniard, Carlos Alcaraz, in the final.

In a press conference during the Games, Nadal acknowledged the challenges of facing Djokovic at his age, admitting that his opponent outplayed him:

"Playing against Novak without creating damage to him, and without having the legs of 20 years ago, is almost impossible. He played much better than me."

Djokovic also weighed in on the matter, telling the media:

"You could feel the tension coming into the match, but also incredible hype, incredible atmosphere."

"There was a lot of interest for this match. People wanted to see it live. People wanted to see it on the TV, as well. I was just very proud to be part of this match," he added.