Rafa Nadal congratulated Novak Djokovic for the Grand Slam record, while attending the graduation ceremony of his academy

[Curtennis]

So what? That doesn't give him exeption from being classy. Class is something that doesn't have boundries, if you make exemptions then it truly isn't a class at all. It is about what relationship two rivals have between them and if his excuse from congratulating Nadal was an outside force which had nothing to do with what Nadal could or couldn't do then he can **** off. He had a chance to stand above it and he didn't take it.

btw. "imprisonment" and "deportation" were his choices. He was told when he landed that he is not allowed in the country without vaccination proof so he can fly back or stay and make it messy. He chose the latter.

Explain why he was on courts practicing for a couple days before he was detained then…

 

[DSH]

Not only did he extend congratulations personally and the academy he downplayed the "inflation" argument by stating how competitive and unimaginable winning 23 slams was once thought.

Don Rafael Nadal is a true gentleman of Spain royalty.

 

[SonicNirvana]

Imagine if Nadal said something like "Credit to Novak but I liked my chances if I was there".

Oh wait. That's actually what Djokovic said about ao22 when Nadal got the record.

We’ll probably because Rafa didn’t like his chances if he was there because he was injured lol

 

[Razer]

I won't even say title was his. Lol he was 27 matches winning streak in 2021 and ao is his yard. His draw was super easy and he did not have to face any top 10 seed till semis. No chance he wouldn't make the semis.

While Nadal was slated to meet him in the semis and it's known and accepted what that semis would have been like. So Novak in the draw that year was enough to blast past Nadal into the final. Even if Medvedev won, it won't give Nadal his second career slam, nor would it give Nadal a title on 2 surfaces for 10+ years. It would also make nole at the very least equal to Rafa by Wimbledon, and that is when Medvedev would win ao, nole was actually much more a favorite vs Medvedev and I am throwing rafans a bone. Still.

It would also put Nadal on 21 and just a slam ahead of Federer who I think is much greater player career wise. 1 slam difference we could easily sweep away when Federer had so much more complete career than the clay courter. Where is nadal's ATP finals title? Both fed nole have 6, Pete has 5. These are the guys with whom he is comparing his career with. Not some second rate players. He should have won ATP finals many times, but failed to win even once.

1 slam difference would have been swept away. But Australian government did grave injustice to both Djokovic and Federer when Nadal won AO again.

Yes you are right.

We have to praise Tiafoe for taking out Nadal, point blank, again in USopen. It would have been absolute disgrace if Nadal won both AO and USO in Djokovic's absense.

Tiafoe is the boss. He doesn't care for these oldies, he treated them well at Laver's Cup too

 

[uscwang]

MSN

It took him 21 years (2001 to 2022) to surpass Federer. It took Novak 20 years to surpass him (2003 to 2023). He understands the best what it takes to get to 22/23.