"I love how Rafa plays, but with Novak there's such a physical smoothness" - Clijsters on Djokovic and Nadal

Wednesday, 07 December 2022 at 13:30

Updated at Tuesday, 06 December 2022 at 23:23

byTom Grant

Kim Clijsters has lavished praised on Rafael Nadal for his Australian Open win last year, but mentioned also Novak Djokovic.

The four-time Grand Slam winner says the Spaniard's comeback from two-sets down to Daniil Medvedev earlier this year was amongst 'the best tennis' she had ever seen him play.

Clijsters was speaking after rolling back the years by defeating US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in an exhibition match on Orlando, Florida. The Belgian was pressed on Nadal, and she admitted last year's action in Melbourne was some of the finest she had witnessed.

She said: "What Rafa did this year in Australia. You know, just knowing a little bit of how he was struggling with his foot and being so close to thinking, 'Am I actually going to get to a level I want to get back to?' And then for him to get to a level that was, maybe, some of the best tennis that I've ever seen him play, I thought was incredible.".

Clijsters was also pushed for her opinion on the debate that is likely to again dominate mens tennis next year and for many more year to come when asked about Nadal and long-term rival Novak Djokovic.

The pair are split by just one Grand Slam title and Clijsters insisted they will both be in the mix in 2023 once again.

"I love how Rafa plays, the intensity, the battle, and the hustle. But with Novak there's such a physical smoothness, I'll call it, when he moves from side to side," she added during an interview on The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast.

"Novak is like he just picks up from there, right? He goes to Wimbledon and you can see the focus."