"Tough to be close" - Novak Djokovic says relationship with 'rival' Rafael Nadal is strictly professional after beating him at Paris Olympics

Novak Djokovic spoke about his relationship with long-time rival Rafael Nadal after the duo's 60th meeting in the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Djokovic defeated the Spaniard 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 43 minutes to keep his hunt for the gold medal alive.

Djokovic defeated Australia's Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1 in just 48 minutes to kick off his campaign in Paris. Nadal, who is also playing doubles, got past Marton Fucsovics in a topsy-turvy three-setter to set up the highly-anticipated 60th meeting with the Serb.

Djokovic got off to a flyer, and took the first set without much trouble. He took a lead 4-0 in the second set too but Nadal then won four games in a row to level the set. However, the Serb broke back and served out the match, extending his head-to-head lead to 31-29.

After the match, Djokovic told reporters that his relationship with Nadal was strictly professional and that they shared respect for each other. He also said that due to their rivalry, maintaining a friendship was tough as they couldn't share personal details with each other.

"It's tough to be close, honestly greatest rivals, and you don't want to maybe give insights to your life or the way you feel and stuff because that can maybe expose you and stuff. I guess that's one of the reasons why maybe we didn't connect so close and I don't think at that level you can really connect so close to anybody, but who knows when the career ends for both of us," Djokovic said.

The 24-time Major champion, however, expressed hope that a friendship could be on the cards after their careers ended.

"It's a long life hopefully for both of us, and we're both family people and hopefully we can address the different side of our relationship and reflect on things that we went through together, that we lived together, the special moments in a different way," he added.

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Novak Djokovic will face Dominik Koepfer in the third round of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Novak Djokovic celebrates win against Nadal (Image source: GETTY)

Novak Djokovic will face Germany's Dominik Koepfer in the third round of the 2024 Paris Olympics as he continues his quest for the elusive gold medal.

Koepfer has been impressive in Paris so far, staging two consecutive comeback wins in the opening two rounds. The German kicked off his campaign against the Canadian veteran Milos Raonic. The two-hour and 22 minute long three-setter ended in Koepfer's favor 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(1).

He then faced Italy's Matteo Arnaldi and came back from a set down to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in an hour and 44 minutes.

Djokovic and Koepfer have met only once in their careers, in the quarterfinals of the 2020 ATP 1000 at Rome, where the Serb won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.