'One of the biggest challenges, the tenacity and intensity he brings....' - Novak Djokovic opens up on facing Rafael Nadal at French Open 2024

Tennis legend Novak Djokovic recently opened up about his emotions and what it is like to face his rival Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. Notably, Nadal has been one of the most successful players in French Open history, having won 14 titles to his name and never losing a final game at Roland Garros. However, the star player is set to play his last event amid his injury problems.

However, Djokovic feels that it's a big challenge to have an opponent like Rafael Nadal, owing to his magnificent record at the French Open. He also talked about a few qualities that make Nadal very special and help him defeat the greatest opponents.

“It’s probably one of the biggest challenges you can have on the tennis tour, playing Rafa at Roland Garros. We know his record there and I’ve played him probably more than any other player has played him on that court. The court is bigger, there’s more space, which affects visually the play a lot and the feeling of the player on the court and he likes to stand quite far back to return,” Djokovic said, ahead of the Italian Open.

It’s really a paramount challenge to play him at Roland-Garros: Novak Djokovic

The great player feels that Nadal is an incredible athlete who always tries to be in his zone and his groove. The 36-year-old legend speaks about the tenacity with which Nadal was on the tennis court to take the game to the epitome of the level with his huge success. Meanwhile, Nadal and Djokovic have faced each other 10 times in French Open history, while Djokovic has just two wins against him.

“So you have some times when he’s really in the zone and in the groove and not making many errors, you feel like he’s impenetrable, he’s like a wall. It’s really a paramount challenge to play him at Roland-Garros, he’s an incredible athlete. The tenacity and intensity he brings on the court, particularly there, is something that was very rarely seen in the history of the sport," he added further.