Rafael Nadal outlined his respect for Novak Djokovic and thanked him for influencing his career after their last match before the Spaniard retires at the Six Kings Slam.
Nadal's final professional appearance before he steps away from the sport will be at the Davis Cup Finals, where he is expected to renew his doubles partnership with Carlos Alcaraz from the Olympics.
Whether Nadal will play singles is more uncertain. The 38-year-old undoubtedly wants to do that, but also said he will not be on the court if he is not ready since that could jeopardize Spain's chances of winning the Davis Cup Trophy.
However, there were some positive signs for Nadal at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia. After enduring so many physical issues in the last two years, the 38-year-old was competitive in a loss to Carlos Alcaraz.
Losing to Alcaraz set up a meeting for third place with Djokovic. This allowed fans worldwide to see a final installment of one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.
The duo played some of the best tennis matches ever, including the longest Grand Slam final in history, the 2012 Australian Open final, which Djokovic won. Another memorable five-set battle was Nadal's 2013 French Open semifinal triumph.
Some of the best and most challenging moments of both men's careers happened against each other. That is why Djokovic stated that his rivalry with the Spaniard has had the most significant impact on his career, and also promised to attend his final event at the Davis Cup Finals next month.
Djokovic won the pair's final meeting at the Six Kings Slam. The Serbian quickly took the opening set, but Nadal vastly improved in the second set to make it competitive, eventually succumbing to a 2-6, 6-7 loss.
Nadal took the opportunity to pay tribute to Djokovic after the match. The 38-year-old thanked Djokovic for his kind words to him at the net and in an on-court interview. He also said the two had shared an amazing rivalry.
"I want to say a few words for Novak and his team. Thank you. For everything. What you said today and all the moments we shared on court. It’s been an amazing rivalry."
The Spaniard admitted he would not have become the player he is if Djokovic had not pushed him so hard to improve. Nadal also wished the 24-time Grand Slam champion well for the rest of his career.
"In a personal way, you helped me go over my limits during almost 15 years. Without that, I wouldn’t be the player I am today. Congratulations for all the titles and amazing career to you and your team. I wish you all the best of luck for the future."
Despite losing to Alcaraz and Djokovic, Nadal competed impressively against two of the best players in the world. Achieving that and having another few weeks to prepare for the Davis Cup Finals might convince him to play singles at the event.
However, what Nadal decides remains to be seen. For now, he can be pleased with his Six Kings Slam performances after playing so few matches in the last two years.