.Some of the best rivalries in ping pong history wrote its ultimate phase on Saturday.Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal squared off for the last time-- this set in an event rather than on the principal tour-- at the 6 Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Djokovic succeeded their third-place match 6-2, 7-6( 5 )." Thank you significantly for every one of the seconds we discussed on court throughout every one of our jobs," Nadal said to Djokovic throughout on-court interviews. "Our team have had a remarkable competition. You assisted me to go over my restrictions, thus thank you for that-- because without that, I would possibly not be the gamer that I am actually today." The 37-year-old Spaniard is, certainly, properly past his prime today. Nonetheless, he caught 22 Grand Slam labels-- including a record 14 at the French Open." The rivalry has actually been amazing," Djokovic conceded. "It has actually been actually quite rigorous, so I hope our company will certainly have a chance to sit on the beach someplace and possess a beverage assessing life as well as speaking about another thing," Djokovic pointed out during the course of his on-court job interview. "It is actually been actually a fabulous respect and also pleasure to share the court along with you. It is actually an emotional second and also a mental time. Our company have actually been actually participating in many fits over many years.
" I will certainly finish with one large thanks from not merely me, yet all of the tennis planet, wherefore you have actually carried out. You have left behind an amazing legacy.".
Djokovic and also Nadal experienced each other an almost hard-to-believe 60 times in main competitions, with Djokovic keeping a 31-29 edge in the neck and neck set.
Nadal will certainly wrap up his career at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month.Ricky contributes to 10sballs. com as well as also maintains his own ping pong site, The Grandstand. You can easily follow him on Twitter at @Dimonator.