Rafael Nadal will face Novak Djokovic for the ultimate time on Saturday, bringing down the curtain on what has been one of many biggest rivalries the game has seen.
Having first performed one another on the French Open in 2006, when Djokovic retired as he trailed by two units, the 2 most profitable male gamers in tennis historical past have gone head-to-head 60 instances.
It was a rivalry initially dominated by Nadal, who received 14 of the primary 18 conferences, together with a semi-final victory on the 2008 Olympics on his approach to profitable the gold medal.
The primary Grand Slam remaining showdown got here on the 2010 US Open, which Nadal received in 4 units, however Djokovic obtained his revenge a 12 months later, having additionally come out on high within the Wimbledon remaining in 2011.
The 2012 Australian Open remaining is arguably the pair’s biggest battle, as they went toe-to-toe for 5 hours and 53 minutes in a outstanding encounter. Djokovic got here out on high in what stays the longest Grand Slam remaining.
Each struggled to face through the 2012 Australian Open remaining trophy ceremony
AFP through Getty Photos
The Serbian levelled up the head-to-head file for the primary time in 2015, when victory on the ATP World Tour Finals made it 23-23. That fashioned a part of a run of seven straight wins for Djokovic over Nadal.
After being knocked out of the French Open by Nadal six instances between 2006 and 2014, Djokovic earned his first Roland Garros win over the Spaniard in 2015, profitable their quarter-final conflict in straight units.
The 2018 Wimbledon semi-final proved to be the pair’s remaining match towards one another at SW19, lasting 5 hours and quarter-hour earlier than Djokovic received 10-8 within the fifth set.
Nadal and Djokovic have every received 5 of the previous 10 conferences, the final of these coming within the second spherical of the Olympics in the summertime, received by Djokovic on his approach to lastly securing gold.
Djokovic vs Nadal head-to-head file:
Clay: Djokovic 9-20 Nadal
Exhausting courtroom: Djokovic 20-7 Nadal
Grass: Djokovic 2-2 Nadal
Grand Slam: Djokovic 7-11 Nadal
Grand Slam finals: Djokovic 4-5 Nadal
Whole: Djokovic 31-29 Nadal
