Novak Djokovic makes a personal vow to Rafael Nadal in emotional tribute.

Novak Djokovic makes a personal vow to Rafael Nadal in emotional tribute.

Novak Djokovic has promised Rafael Nadal that he will be present “in person” to commemorate the Spaniard’s career when he retires during the Davis Cup.

Former world number one and 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal announced in a special video message

earlier today that he will retire during the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.

Speculation has grown in recent months that the Finals will be Nadal’s final tournament,

given he has previously helped his country win the prestigious men’s team event four times.

Djokovic and Nadal have been the defining opponents of each other’s careers, with no other pair in ATP history

having played 60 separate matches.

Their matches have spanned 18 years, from a quarter-final at the 2006 French Open to the second round

of the Olympic Games this year, with Serbia leading 31-29.

They have clashed in nine Grand Slam finals and 28 overall, with Djokovic’s 24 Grand Slam singles

championships and Nadal’s 22 ranking first and second in men’s tennis history.

Djokovic took to Instagram this afternoon to pay a nice homage to his main competitor and confirm that he

would be in Malaga for the Finals to commemorate the historic occasion.

He wrote, “Rafa, one post is insufficient to describe my admiration for you and everything you have accomplished for our sport.

“You have encouraged millions of children to start playing tennis, and I believe it is the greatest accomplishment

anyone could hope for.

“Your tenacity, dedication, and battling spirit will be taught for decades. Your legacy will last forever.

Only you know what you had to go through to become a legend of tennis and sports in general.

“Thank you for pushing me to the edge so many times during our rivalry, which has had the greatest impact on my development as a player.

“Your enthusiasm for representing Spain has always been impressive.

I wish you the best possible farewell in Malaga with the Spanish Davis Cup squad. I’ll be there in person to honor your excellent work.”

Nadal has not played a singles match since losing to Djokovic at the Olympics this summer, and his most recent encounter was with Carlos Alcaraz in a men’s doubles defeat in Paris.

The Spaniard has since withdrawn from the US Open and Laver Cup, capping off a difficult two seasons marked by injury.

Nadal hasn’t won a trophy since his 2022 French Open victory, and he scarcely played in 2023, missing a big portion of this season due to physical issues.

He will join Alcaraz in Spain’s Davis Cup squad in November, which will be managed by captain and former world number three David Ferrer.

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