The blue hard courts of Melbourne Park have seen Rafael Nadal pick up two Australian Open titles, following his victories in 2009 against Roger Federer and in 2022 against Daniil Medvedev. While he is retired, the Spaniard hasn’t been away from tennis. And recently, he made his pick ahead of the highly anticipated Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic final.

“If I have to support someone in the final, it would be Carlos. I have a good relationship with him, we shared the Olympics, we shared the Spanish team… but if Novak wins, I’ll be happy for him too because, in a way, what he’s doing is spectacular,” Nadal said, as reported by The Tennis Letter on X.

For Nadal, he has battled with both Djokovic and Alcaraz before his retirement at the end of the 2024 season. History has seen the two Spaniards having nothing but mutual support between them. For Alcaraz, Nadal has been a big role model and a mentor, with many, like famed Spanish journalist Javier Santos, wanting the legend to be the 22-year-old’s coach.

“And we’re not even talking about players like Rafa Nadal, who would be a fantastic coach for Carlitos. For his upbringing, his values, his character, his humility. That would be very beneficial for Carlos and those around him,” Santos said. Rafael Nadal also competed at the Paris Olympics as Alcaraz’s doubles partner, and they both made it to the quarterfinals. So, he wants to see his fellow Spaniard pick up that Australian Open title. However, his story with Djokovic is quite different.

While he wants the Serb to grab that elusive 25th career Grand Slam, history reveals them as each other’s biggest rivals. 60 is the number of matches that the two battled out on various courts throughout multiple tennis seasons. And Djokovic, who turned pro two years after Nadal, stayed ahead of their head-to-head with 31 wins, with the final one coming during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the Serb defeated his Spanish rival in the round of 32.

However, the final match between the two tennis stars is going to be something to look out for.

Rafael Nadal and the tennis world are ready for this massive Australian Open finale

Just like the tennis world, Rafael Nadal will be ready to witness the match between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. The two have played each other nine times before this Australian Open final, with the Serb having a lead with five wins. However, every single match featuring the two has been a thrill for the tennis fans.

Their first encounter, which took place at the 2022 ATP Masters 1000 Madrid, saw a young Alcaraz topple Djokovic 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) in the semifinal. And the 2025 US Open semifinal was their last encounter, where the fans saw Alcaraz take out Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2. But their rivalry has seen an equal win rate during the finals of tennis tournaments.

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Both of them first met at a final during the 2023 Wimbledon, which Alcaraz won 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. However, in the same season, at the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Djokovic won against Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4). The next year, the Spaniard defended his Wimbledon title against the Serb in the final. But Djokovic was quick to take revenge at the Paris Olympics final, where he defeated Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2).

Nadal, being the true fan of the game, acknowledged both players’ potential, even if one of them was his rival, while the other is still a rising star in the tennis world.