[ad_1]
As two of the most legendary figures in tennis, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal occupy plenty of square footage in the sport’s history books. The duo have played more matches against one another than any other fixture in men’s tennis, while Nadal and Djokovic each boast a record number of titles at the French Open (14) and Australian Open (10), respectively.
That barely scratches the surface in regards to the pair’s prolific pile of plaudits, however, which isn’t restricted to mere silverware. In fact, some of the accolades to their credit may go under the radar for anyone but the most loyal fans long after they hang up their racquets.
And one such feat may never be replicated, with Djokovic and Nadal each tied for the largest head-to-head winning records against any one opponent. That is, streaks assembled against one specific player in particular, and the top of said list reads like an identity parade of Hall of Famers.
Djokovic, 35, and Nadal, 36, stand separate from those other iconic figures as the only two to have won 18 matches against a specific enemy, however. And there are a couple of eerie similarities between the two, with both veterans accumulating their perfect runs against French opposition, for starters.
READ MORE: Rafael Nadal drops comeback hint as video footage emerges of tennis court regime
Nadal has proved to be Richard Gasquet’s kryptonite over the past 19 years, with the three-time major semi-finalist failing to beat his Spanish nemesis in 18 total attempts. The two first faced off at the Estoril Open in 2004, but Nadal has lost none of his potency in their head-to-head having bested his old adversary as recently as last year’s U.S. Open.
In Djokovic’s case, the Serb must feel a sense of glee whenever he sees Gael Monfils on the other side of the draw given his own imperious streak in their rivalry. The duo didn’t meet until the 2005 edition of the U.S. Open, but ‘Nole’ continues to torment his French foe, whom he most recently defeated at the 2022 Madrid Masters.
“I don’t have any explanation for that, I just try to approach it like any other match,” the world No. 1 said after his second-round win in Spain last year. “I guess his game is suitable to my game in terms of playing style. But we’ve had some very close matchups. The last time we played in Dubai he had match points, so that could have easily broken the record.”
[ad_2]
Source link
