Djokovic: “I do wish one day that I can get the kind of good-bye from the world of tennis”
Novak Djokovic, still an active player, felt a touch of nostalgia seeing his greatest rivals now retired.
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Roland-Garros 2025 – © Dante Badano / Psnewz
The tribute ceremony for Rafael Nadal was the talk of the day and came up in almost every press conference at Roland-Garros this Monday. And Novak Djokovic, both a witness and key participant in this major event, was no exception when he faced the media on the eve of his first-round match in Paris.
On Sunday, the Serbian player paid tribute to his greatest rival alongside the other two members of the Big Four, Roger Federer and Andy Murray. It was a ceremony he felt was worthy of the great champion that Nadal is, and it moved him deeply.
“Yeah, I do, as I said, I do think that Rafa deserved what he got yesterday in full intensity of its glory, and of course that each one of us dreams of being remembered in such way and celebrated, of course. I do wish one day that I can get the kind of good-bye from the world of tennis, for sure.”
“But I didn’t think about the exact date, if that’s what you’re looking for (smiling) or a moment. It was more just in general of how beautiful that moment is and, yeah, I mean, I got emotional as well when we were listening to him speak and seeing the reactions of his family, of his team members. It was really heartwarming moment.”
Those guys were my greatest motivations of why I competed so intensely and for so long
“Even though we were the fiercest rivals, it’s that personal touch that is out there when you kind of spill your heart out on the court, as he did yesterday. It’s almost impossible it doesn’t touch you deeply.”
Among the “Big Four,” Djokovic is the only player still active on the ATP Tour. While he expressed some nostalgia over no longer seeing Federer, Nadal, and Murray and engaging in epic battles with them, he also takes pride in being the last one still “standing” against the hungry young challengers.
“I mean, honestly I was thinking about my end of the road as well last night or yesterday when we were watching Rafa having his speech, particularly those moments when we were in the back room, the three of us, and I was just, yeah, obviously talking to Federer and Murray about their good-byes and reminiscing and reflecting on the rivalries, and of course part of me is proud that I’m still there, that I’m still going, but at the same time, I was, and I still am a bit sad that they’re all gone, because those guys were my greatest motivations of why I competed so intensely and for so long.”
Djokovic will begin his 2025 Roland-Garros campaign on Tuesday, May 27, against American player Mackenzie McDonald.
