Rafael Nadal has clarified his remarks on Djokovic’s GOAT status after critics suggested that he may have taken a verbal swipe at the 24-time Grand Slam winner in a TV interview.
The Spaniard appeared to reluctantly offer salutations to his archrival after he collected his 24th major title as he confirmed he has yet to congratulate the Serbian for his record-breaking activity. In an interview with Movistar+, Nadal was asked about his frustration over seeing Djokovic’s latest historic achievement that set latter two clear of him in the GS race.
“I’m not frustrated for a simple reason,” said Nadal about his rival moving ahead of him in the big titles race.
“I believe that within my possibilities I have done everything in my power to have things go as well as possible for me.”
He was then quizzed whether he has any frustrations despite a glorious career decorated by the number 22 (Nadal’s 22 GS’s) and he responded: “It is possible. Of course it is possible.”
Nadal then carefully dragged the Serbian into conversation and added: “I think Novak, in that sense, lives things more intensely than the way I have lived them.
“For him, I think it would have been a bigger frustration if he had not achieved it… and maybe that’s the reason he achieved it.”
Those comments didn’t farewell with Nolefam in particular and were classified as being a dig taken at Djokovic, as the 37-year-old Spaniard appeared to suggest that the world No. 1 was more obsessed with finishing his career with the highest number of major titles.
Yet in an interview with AS in Spain, the former #1 and 14-time French Open winner clarified those comments while asserting that the Serbian should be deservedly recognized as statistical GOAT.
“I believe that numbers are numbers and statistics are statistics,” he said.
“In that sense, I think he has better numbers than mine and that is indisputable. I don’t have an ego big enough to try to disguise a reality.
“This is the truth. The rest are sensations that one or the other (player) may transmit to you, that you may like one or the other more.
“I think that with respect to titles, Djokovic is the best in history and there is nothing to discuss in that.”
The Clay court maestro also insisted that he was not lying awake at night worrying about his GS tally and competition given by Djokovic but is trying to recover from hip injury and return to the tour and matchcourts in 2024
“I have said it when I was the one who won the most Slams, I said it when we were tied, I say it now that I am behind,” he added.
“I am not going to be the one who tries, through a personal struggle, to want to be what I am not. What is, is. And what is not, is not. I say this, I am very satisfied with everything I have done.”
The debate over who is the best player of the two will remain subjective for ardent Nadal and Djokovic fans. However, for now he record books are on the side of Djokovic as the never-ending debate continues.