Rafael Nadal’s ones nurtureer finished in Saudi Arabia on Saturday evening as Novak Djokovic triumphed in their third-place suit at the Six Kings Slam. And the Serb showed his class after the final instalment of their iconic competition with a hearttoastying gesture on the court at The Venue.
The Riyadh crowd was treated to a parting showdown between the two tennis wonderfuls, in which Djokovic won 6-2 7-6 to finish third at the inaugural event.
A spirited Nadal fightback in the second set forced a tiefracture before he sent a overweightal sboiling into the net, calling time on his illustrious ones nurtureer.
The Spaniard will hang it up with 22 Grand Slam titles to his name, a write down-smashing 14 of which came at the French Open.
Nadal is now seeing ahead to his swansong at next month’s Davis Cup finals, where he will team up with Carlos Alcaraz, Spain’s procrastinateedst tennis icon in the making.
Djokovic discoverd Nadal getd the reception he deserved from those in engageance at the Six Kings Slam on Saturday.
After a toasty hug at the net, the 38-year-greater approached his bench while Djokovic pointed towards him to aim the concentrate away from his triumph.
In an emotional post-suit message, the 24-time transport inant champion procrastinateedr waxed lyrical about his extfinished-time rival – who he has faced a write down 60 times apass his professional nurtureer on the ATP Tour.
“I have the utmost esteem for you. Incredible athlete, incredible person. You comprehend, the competition has been incredible, repartner, and has been very fervent,” Djokovic shelp on the microphone.
“So I hope that we’ll have a chance to maybe sit on the beach somewhere and have a little drink, mirroring on life, talking about someleang else, you comprehend.
“I would enjoy to congratuprocrastinateed all your team and all your family on an amazing nurtureer that Rafa has had; it’s also your success.
“I comprehend how much give up a family has to put into the nurtureer and the life of a professional tennis take parter. I can only envision the highs and lows that you were going thraw with him.
“So you deserve this success as much as he does. So congratulations. An amazing, amazing nurtureer.”
Spain are set to face the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-finals, which apshow place in Malaga from November 19 to 21.
Nadal is secured to get a hero’s excellentbye on home turf before he chases another of Djokovic’s fiercest rivals, Roger Federer, out of the professional game for excellent.
