Rafael Nadal will retire from tennis at the end of the 2024 season, and he knows that his rival, Novak Djokovic, will follow him sooner or later.
The Big Three transformed the way age was perceived on the ATP Tour. Only two decades ago, it seemed almost impossible for athletes to be successful in their thirties, but the three best players in history changed it.
They all won majors well into their 30s, showing just how dominant they were. In 2024, the Big Three ended up without a major for the first time since 2002, ending more than a two-decades-long streak.
There are plenty of reasons for that. Roger Federer is already retired, Nadal played only in one Grand Slam tournament this year, and Djokovic is also not the youngest anymore.
After failing to find his best level again, Nadal announced his retirement from professional tennis, and since then, he has spoken a lot about his decision and looked back on his tennis career.
There are things he regrets, but there are also many moments that he's happy about. In particular, he cherishes his rivalries with both Federer and Djokovic.
Being there when the Swiss Maestro retired, the Spaniard knows how much it took out of him, and he expects the same to happen also to Djokovic after his retirement.
The Serbian won't have any of his main two rivals ahead, and Djokovic himself said that a part of him left with them. That's also why Nadal, as he told Spanish publication AS in a recent interview, expects the 24-time Grand Slam champion to retire once he feels mentally down as the last man standing.
"As for Djokovic, I don't know. I think it's human that Novak, even if he's still healthy, is of a certain age and it's logical that the clock takes its toll on all of us and that, once Federer has gone, once I'm gone, since we've been his two great rivals, at some point he also has a small mental breakdown and will find a reason to step aside."
However, Nadal also believes that if Djokovic, who he played against 60 times and lost 31 times, stays healthy, he can still challenge to win the biggest tournaments.
"That's what happens to everyone. And Novak is good enough to, if he's healthy, continue to be competitive at the highest level and aspire to win the most important tournaments."
Speaking from experience, the 38-year-old Spaniard also knows that if Djokovic enjoys being on the court, he will likely continue playing, but once he starts to lose more, he will also stop enjoying it so much, and that's when he'll likely retire.
"And if he's still happy doing what he does, he'll keep doing it. If at some point, everything he has to do to have a chance of continuing to be at the highest level is no longer worth it, then he'll step aside, that's what I think."
Nadal's words might be truthful, and that can be highlighted by the Serbian player's scheduling decision. This year, he will likely end his season early, as he has been rumored to withdraw from the Paris Masters, and he plans to play mostly only majors in 2025.
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