Novak Djokovic after Rafael Nadal’s departure: “A part of me is leaving with them, a big part…”

Novak Djokovic had already reacted in writing, as early as Thursday, to the announcement of Rafael Nadal’s upcoming retirement, through a post on his Instagram account. “I meant every word“, he said Friday evening after his victorious quarter-final in Shanghai against the young Jakub Mensik (6-7 6-1, 6-4). This time, it is orally, during an interview at edge of the court, that the Serb returned to this information which, as he says “is still a shock, even if we knew this moment would arrive soon“.

“He was my biggest rival.”continued Djokovic about the one against whom and with whom he scrapped no less than 60 times between their first duel at Roland-Garros, in 2006, and the very last, still at Roland-Garros, but this time in the framework Olympic Games this summer. “The rivalry I had with him was the one that had the most impact on me, by far.“, added the record holder for Grand Slam victories.

Djokovic felt pretty much the same way he did two years ago when Roger Federer also decided to hang it up for good, with a farewell in London at the Laver Cup, notably in the company of Nadal. and Djokovic. “It was also a shock for Roger when he officially announced it a few years ago. And Andy too this year… To be honest, it’s a bit overwhelming for me, it’s huge. I don’t know how to deal with all this“, he admits.

There is no more Big 4, no more Big 3, there is only him and everything has accelerated in recent weeks with Murray’s farewell to Paris during the Games and those, to come, of Nadal in Malaga at the end of the Davis Cup final phase. For his part, he has no intention of stopping for the moment, but he admits, it won’t be quite the same from now on: “I still want to play and compete, but a part of me goes with them. A big part. For tennis, for sport, this is sad news.”

“You’ve inspired millions of kids to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably the biggest achievement anyone could wish for.“, wrote “Nole” on Thursday in his message. Words that he reiterated this Friday. “Rafa has been an inspiration, he is an inspiration to millions of children around the world, so he can really be very proud of his career“, he insisted. And now, concerning him: how long will he remain alone, prolonging through his sole prism the lifespan of this absolutely unique generation?