The relationship between tennis rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal has come to light, following a controversial comment made by the Spaniard’s Uncle Toni last year. Nadal missed the majority of last season due to a hip injury and aggravated the problem at 2024’s Brisbane International before withdrawing from the Australian Open.
Nadal had high hopes for a better start to 2024 after spending almost 12 months recovering from his injury. However, the Spaniard’s uncle and former coach Toni caused controversy with a joke about the 22-time Grand Slam winner’s rivals.
Rafael Nadal aggravated a hip injury before the Australian Open (Image: Getty)
During a conversation with the Majorca Daily Bulletin he said: “Now, what we need is, we need an injury of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and maybe Daniil Medvedev. We need that many… a lot of problems and then Rafa can play really good.”
Former coach of the Serbian Davies Cup team Bogdan Obradovic has shed some light on the relationship between Djokovic and Nadal’s camps. Speaking to sport he said: “We’ve always been friends with Nadal and his team.
“I don’t know if it was taken out of context, if he wanted to be funny and missed everything. I look at Tony as our friend, I don’t believe he meant any harm.” While Nadal was absent for the majority of last season Djokovic ruled supreme adding three Grand Slams to his tally.
Novak Djokovic was beaten in the Australian Open semi-final (Image: Getty)
“Everything is stable,” added Obradovic. “One defeat can happen to anyone. He is number one, the world’s top. What does it mean to fall? When we measure (Michael) Jordan and all the athletes, no one was that stable.
“What can I say about number one? Even if he falls, he’ll fall to number two. It’s not the beginning of the end and Novak himself said it after the Australian Open. There are more tournaments and the Olympics.”
