Fast-forward to today and he’s the last man standing, with Nadal having recently announced he’ll retire from the sport following the upcoming Davis Cup Finals. Djokovic has collected a record-breaking 24 Grand Slam titles and established himself as the greatest of all time in the eyes of many.
While it may not qualify as friendship, Djokovic admitted Federer’s departure from the sport left its mark, just as Nadal’s is likely to as well. After all, the veteran drives so much from his sense of competition, one could argue those rivalries are as much a part of him as any genuine friendship.
“Some people said I was going to be devastated [when Roger retired], but I didn’t believe them,” added Djokovic. “But when I was there [at the 2022 Laver Cup in London] and when I saw that he was actually withdrawing, I was like, ‘Wow, this affects me too.'”
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