How Rafael Nadal once responded when asked what difficulties he had playing against Novak Djokovic

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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic played out many epic battles over the years, much to the delight of tennis fans.

The two ATP legends met on the court 60 times in total, with Djokovic winning 31 times and Nadal winning 29 times.

And given the fantastic ability of both legends, they often came head-to-head in finals, including three at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The iconic clay-court tournament has now returned to the ATP calendar, and was once dominated by Spanish superstar Nadal.

He boasts a record 11 titles in Monaco, including eight in a row, a ruthless run that was finally ended by Djokovic in 2013.

Rafael Nadal shared his difficulties vs Novak Djokovic at the 2013 Monte Carlo Masters

After his 6-2, 7-6(7-1) final defeat that year, Nadal was asked what issues he had when facing his Serbian rival.

Aside from highlighting Djokovic’s number one rank at the time, the Spaniard said: “I am playing against [the] best player of the world.

“He’s a fantastic player. If you are not at your 100%, [it] is very difficult to win against these kinds of players. That’s all.

“His game is great. His game is very complete. To win, I have to play my best and I have to bring him to the limit.

“When I was in my 100% in the past, probably he had the same feeling. But that’s the sport.

“That’s the good thing about the sport. Bring your tennis or your body to the limit to do a bit more and win these kinds of matches.

“These kinds of matches are special ones. To win against players like Novak, if you are not at your 100% full, [it] is almost impossible.”

Rafael Nadal’s phenomenal run at the Monte Carlo Masters

Djokovic may have been the top seed at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2013, but he found himself in a final against a player on a 46-match winning run at the event.

That helped Nadal lift the trophy every year from 2005 to 2012, with two of those titles having arrived with final wins over the Serbian.

Djokovic finally exacted his revenge in 2013, but the Spaniard returned with a bang in 2016 to win a further three successive titles.

Just before that run, Djokovic claimed his second success at the Monte Carlo Masters with a final win over Tomas Berdych.

Nadal cannot, of course, add further glory given that he has retired from tennis, while Djokovic can’t do the same this year at least after his withdrawal from the tournament.