NOVAK DJOKOVIC admitted Rafael Nadal ”p***ed me off” together with his ”intimidating” pre-match antics.
The pair are two of the best tennis gamers of all time and have loved a pulsating rivalry stretching again to their first assembly in 2006.
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Djokovic leads the head-to-head file 30-29, though Nadal received their final assembly within the French Open quarter-finals in 2022 on his approach to successful his 14th title.
But it surely was at Roland Garros method again originally of Djokovic’s profession that he struggled to deal with the stress of going through the Spaniard.
The Serb legend misplaced to the all-conquering King of Clay in Paris in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
And he vividly remembers what it was like getting ready to step out on to court docket together with his nice rival – who’s set to retire subsequent yr.
Djokovic advised CBS 60 Minutes: ”I am taking part in Nadal in Roland Garros, and I’ve his locker subsequent to my locker, proper? So, we’re so shut.
”And we’re attempting to provide one another house. However then the locker room can also be not that huge and the way in which you bounce round like Nadal does earlier than we exit on the court docket…
”Within the locker room, he is doing sprints subsequent to you. I may even hear the music he is listening to, you realize, in his headphones.
”So it is p***ing me off.
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“Early in my profession, I did not realise how all that’s a part of the state of affairs, proper?
”So, I used to be getting intimidated by that. But it surely’s additionally motivating me to do stuff myself and to point out that I am prepared. I am prepared for a battle, for a struggle.”
Djokovic actually discovered find out how to intimidate opponents and now boasts such an unimaginable aura that many gamers appear defeated earlier than some extent has been performed.
It has led to unparalleled success on the court docket, racking up 98 profession titles together with a file 24 Grand Slams and now greater than 400 weeks ranked because the world No1.
Djokovic received 27 of his 28 matches at majors in 2023, successful the Australian Open, French Open and US Open.
However he got here up brief in opposition to Carlos Alcaraz within the epic five-set Wimbledon ultimate on Centre Courtroom.
The Serbian’s fury boiled over when he smashed his racket into the web publish after dropping his serve within the decider.
However Djokovic used the painful defeat on the All England Membership as motivation for the North American swing – together with success on the Cincinnati Masters and US Open earlier than wrapping up a surprising yr by touchdown the Paris Masters and ATP Finals.
He added: ”Wimbledon pissed me off a lot that I wanted to win every thing on American soil, which I did.”
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