Tennis fans think something was off about Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s handshake at the Paris Olympic Games.
The sporting icons are in the French capital ready to compete at what is likely to be their final Olympics.
Both players have enjoyed plenty of success throughout their glittering careers and they are aiming to produce some more magic moments at the global sporting event.
Both Nadal and Djokovic could do battle in the Olympics second round, in what could be the final time they face each other.
What did tennis fans think of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s handshake at the Olympics?
Before their first matches at the Paris Olympics, Nadal and Djokovic met one another on the practice court.
As the Serbian walked past the 22-time Grand Slam champion, they acknowledged one another by sharing a low high-five.
There was no embrace and they did not stop for a conversation, leaving fans on social media platform X to believe the greeting was somewhat frosty.
User @ben1195704479 wrote: “Not the most friendly to each other,” while @DejiCNO wrote: “No love there.”
@QuickrOlx posted: “Clearly not the best of friends,” and @deeexrayz added: “They don’t like each other huh.”
@Raulgunner10 also wrote: “That’s a very cold hand shake. Hopefully he is fit and doesn’t skip the singles and makes it to round 2, one final dance with Novak on Rafa’s favourite surface, the world of tennis needs that.”
What is Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s relationship like?
Nadal and Djokovic have been battling one another at tennis’ highest level for almost 20 years. They have been fierce rivals competing for the biggest tiles in the sport and producing some of tennis’ biggest and most exciting matches.
Therefore, Djokovic does not think there has been time to have a solid friendship with not only Nadal but also Roger Federer.
This was illustrated in his quotes from December 2023. “We didn’t get along so well throughout our careers, off the court,” the Serbian said.
“And we are not friends because, you know, we’re rivals, and it’s difficult as competitors to be very close and kind of share and give insights to your life or to how you feel because it could be used against you.
“There’s always a huge amount of respect off the court because they have really defined me as the player that I am today. I hope that one day when the curtains are slightly more closed, that we are able to sit down and reflect. It would be amazing.”
How many times have Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic played each other?
Nadal and Djokovic have played one another on 59 occasions in what is one of tennis’ all-time great rivalries.
They first played back at the French Open in 2006, when the Spaniard emerged victorious. Djokovic has a narrow lead in the head-to-head rivalry with 30 wins to Nadal’s 29, while the Spaniard has won six of their last 10.
Djokovic currently has won 15 of the 28 finals they have played, while Nadal leads 11–7 in Grand Slam matches, he also won five of the nine major finals they have contested.
On the different surfaces, Nadal and Djokovic have two wins each on grass, but it is a very different story on clay and hard courts.
Of their 27 hard court matches, Djokovic has won 20, while Nadal has claimed 20 of their 28 matchups on clay.
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