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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Rafael Nadal shouldn’t open many angles’, says top coach

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Novak Djokovic admits that the rivalry with Rafael Nadal is one of the things that motivates him to keep going at 35 years of age. Nadal, 36, holds the record for 22 Grand Slams, while Djokovic follows with 21 Majors. Given that Nadal is out of the Australian Open and Djokovic has reached as far as the semi-final, there is a good chance that the Serb will tie the Spaniard for the most Grand Slams this fortnight.

“It keeps me going, of course. I try to balance things between the professional goals that I have and it’s always the highest goal for me, you know, to try to reach another title. I’ve had a lot of success in Australia, so obviously that it feeds my motivation and inspiration to always perform at my best, knowing that I have done very well in the past, and also, a kind of private mission of why I continue to play tennis, which is personal, which is the joy and love for sport and passion really with my family, the closest people in my life, and I hope to share [those] good vibes with the people who see me play,” Djokovic told the Australian Open website.

Nadal won the first two Grand Slams of the 2022 season to reach a record 22 Grand Slams. Djokovic then responded by winning Wimbledon to improve to 21 Grand Slams. “It’s unbelievable. Every match is historic right now, especially for Rafa and me.

I think we are very privileged to be in this position, both him and I, pushing each other to the limit to see how far one or the other can go”, Djokovic added. Djokovic has been bothered by a hamstring injury throughout the Australian Open, but it is not considered very serious.

On the other hand, Nadal has had great difficulties with injuries in recent years.

Nadal is injured

Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal has showered praise on Novak Djokovic after his win at the 2023 Australian Open.

“I perfectly remember the day before playing against Novak in the 2013 US Open final, the doubts that Rafael and I had, and the decision that we finally made,” Toni wrote. “To beat him, we thought we shouldn’t open many angles or quickly change directions and play, on the contrary, more through the center.

Luckily for us, Rafael came out the winner, but I remember that final as one of the especially difficult ones my nephew has played.”

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