If you’re a tennis fan, you’re probably aware of Rafael Nadal‘s moniker, the ‘King of Clay’. He has won 14 French Open titles, and for Nadal, winning Roland Garros felt like a normal occurrence in his tennis career. However, the Spaniard will not be competing in the event this year. Now that the clay court competition has begun, Rafa is being missed not only by his fans but also by one of his biggest rivals, Novak Djokovic.

And, following a record-equaling victory in the first round of the event, the Serbian spoke about how much he misses his competitor and reflected on their incredible rivalry.

Novak Djokovic shares an ultimate ‘king of clay’ Rafael Nadal tribute

In any case, witnessing both tennis players compete against each other is undoubtedly one of the finest things for a tennis fan. And over the years, they have given some incredible performances on various Grand Slam events. However, despite having an intense rivalry on the tennis court, they share a great bond outside of it.

Just days after talking about not having the Spaniard at the ongoing French Open, the world number one tennis player, in a recent interview with Tennis Channel, talked about their great bond on the tennis court. The Serb paid an amazing tribute to his arch-rival while talking about their clay court rivalry.

He said, “So, every time I step on the court with him, especially this court, particularly you know, I know that I have to leave my heart and my guts out and everything. It’s probably the ultimate challenge that you have in sports, playing Nadal on clay on Roland Garros.” 

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A few days ago, he also made an emotional statement regarding the Spaniard’s absence from the tournament. Despite being ready to give his all, he explained that his absence might be a concern for the tennis world.

Djokovic’s take on Nadal missing out on the 2023 French Open 

In an interview with Eurosport right before the main draw, the Serbian tennis star discussed how Nadal’s absence from the competition may be a major loss for the sport, not just for the player or the tournament. But he is all set to give his 100% and is raring to go for his second grand slam title of the year.

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Moreover, the French Open presents him with a great opportunity to seize the initiative and secure his 23rd Grand Slam victory, while his greatest rival is out of the game. Can he do it? Let us know in the comments.