Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he will retire from professional tennis after 23 years. The Davis Cup Finals next month will be the last appearance for the 38-year-old legend, who won 22 Grand Slam singles titles in his awe-inspiring career.

“It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time,” Nadal said in a video posted to social media. “But, in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”

Discussion of Nadal’s career begins and ends with the French Open, which he dominated throughout his career. The “King of Clay” won the event 14 times, proving just as effective on the surface as a baby-faced 19-year-old in 2005 as he was battling back from injuries in 2022.

Besides the French Open, Nadal won plenty of singles and doubles grand slam titles, as well as two Olympic gold medals. More than any personal accomplishment, however, his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are likely what will be best-remembered. The Big Three took the tennis world by storm in the 2000s and have incalculably elevated the sport in the two decades since.

The 2008 Wimbledon Final is one of Nadal’s many encounters that are indelibly marked in the sport. Facing down Federer, who had won the event for five straight years, Nadal dueled with the Swiss legend for four hours and 48 minutes, eventually defeating him for his first grand slam title on grass. It is generally considered one of the greatest tennis matches ever played.

While many of Nadal’s run-ins with Federer have earned well-deserved reverence among tennis fans, it’s possible that Djokovic was his true equal. In 60 matches between them, the Serbian holds a 31-29 record against Nadal, who always had a commanding advantage on clay. The pair met in all four grand slam finals, trading victories through their careers.

As Nadal joins Federer in retirement, Djokovic will soon be the last member of the old guard with a new generation stepping forward. Nadal’s accomplishments, alongside his two contemporaries, have inspired those who are following him and will have the same effect on tennis players for generations to come.

In one of Olympic history’s most thrilling tennis matches, Serbian star Novak Djokovic won gold over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, a battle of the second and third-ranked players in the world. Djokovic took the match in straight sets, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), that lasted over two hours. The final occurred at Paris’ Roland Garros, the sight of the French Open, and the court Alcaraz finished victoriously in June this year.

After winning one of the only tournaments Djokovic had not one before, he became visibly emotional and spoke candidly to Peacock after the round.

“I’m telling myself, always, that I’m enough. Because I can be very self-critical, that’s one of my biggest battles, internal battles that I keep fighting myself,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’ve done enough, I haven’t been enough on the court, off the court.”

While Djokovic boasts one of the most impressive resumes of any player in the sport, 2024 has not treated him kindly. He tore his meniscus at the French Open just six weeks ago and underwent surgery. The Serbian did not know if he would be healthy enough to compete and sustained more alignments during the Olympics and gave a dark update to reporters after the quarterfinal.

“I am very worried, to be honest. I don’t know what to say. The pain was very strong for two games after it happened. I don’t know if I slipped or what happened.”

But he found a way during the semifinal and final and became the first Serbian to win a gold medal in tennis. The 37-year-old completed the ‘golden slam,’ winning all four tennis majors and first place at the Olympic games, one of only four people, male or female, to accomplish this feat.

Conversely, Alcaraz will want to flush these two weeks in Paris as quickly as possible. He bowed out in the quarterfinals during doubles play with Rafael Nadal and lost in straight sets when favored to win the match over Djokovic.

During an on-court interview on Monday, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic slammed the Wimbledon crowd since he felt they were being “disrespectful” following his victory over Holger Rune. The 24-time Grand Slam champion defeated Rune 6-4, 6-3 and 6-2 before getting his point across to spectators.

“To all the fans that have respect and stayed here tonight: thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. To all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player – in this case me, have a goooood night,” Djokovic remarked. The tennis star emphasized the o’s in “good” to mimic the sounding of “boos.”

BBC interviewer Rishi Persad attempted to ensure Djokovic that the crowd was praising Rune and that they weren’t trying to disrespect him.

The tennis star later commented that he “knew all the tricks.” “I know they were cheering for Rune, but that’s an excuse to also boo,” Djokovic said. When questioned regarding rowdy fan behavior, the Serbian athlete replied: “The crowd has the right to choose how to cheer and how they want to behave towards other players.”

Rune didn’t make much out of Djokovic’s rant.

“He was just better than me today,” the Danish star said. “Whether the crowd was this or that, I think it was great support for both players to be honest.”

Rune is Denmark’s highest-ranked male tennis player in the ATP’s singles rankings as he ranked fourth in August 2023 – he is currently ranked 15th in the singles rankings, behind Ben Shelton and ahead of France’s Ugo Humbert. Djokovic is number two, behind Italy’s Jannik Skinner. In his next match, Djokovic will face Aussie star Alex De Minaur in the quarterfinals.

Novak Djokovic, the number #1 player in the world, made a surprising decision this week.

After losing in the Italian Open and looking clearly shaken by getting hit in the head with a water bottle, Djokovic decided to go against his usual habits. According to reports, in need of a boost before the major French Open, the Serbian accepted an invite to play at the Genova ATP.

This is rare for the champion tennis player as most athletes tend to rest before a major competition, but Djokovic could use the extra playing time. He bounced unexpectedly in straight sets this past week in Italy, his earliest departure from the tournament ever, and received medical treatment after the water bottle left him on the ground for over 30 seconds.

After the tournament, he said that the freak accident affected his play and could be a reason for his shock exit. Other stars also struggled in Rome, as Rafael Nadal lost in the first round, and only one player ranked in the top five made it to the semifinals. Djokovic has won the Italian Open six times, and he last reigned supreme in 2022.

The French Open begins on May 26, one week after the conclusion of the Italian Open.

The 2024 Australian Open is in full swing kicking off this year’s tennis season, but scheduling issues have caused many delays in the tournament. Some matches have taken more than four hours and have been regularly played past 4 a.m. local time.

Women’s tennis plays at most three sets and men play at most five, but with no time clock in the game, there is no true timetable to know how long a match will take. Matches could last less than two hours if a player wins the two or three sets needed, but in the range of four to five hours if it’s an even matchup. If one goes late, it forces a delayed start for the next, and the next, a chain reaction that lasts the whole day.

American Ben Shelton was set to play a match in the opening rounds that was pushed back about four hours due to previous delays. With an official start time just after 2 a.m. EST, a majority of his American fans were already asleep. Daniil Medvedev played a match that lasted just about four and a half hours, ending after 3:30 a.m., but it was only the third latest-ending match in tournament history.

It is easy to see the struggle for a fan trying to watch the tournament, and players also seem to find the delays as detrimental. Even when one match ends, the other isn’t able to start up right away, with players needing to warm up and get ready after waiting in the locker room for hours before.

“If we’re going to be honest with ourselves, what are people looking for? They’re not looking for five-hour matches. … I haven’t been able to sit through one,” the 2012 and 2013 tournament winner Victoria Azarenka said. “It’s just too long.”

In order to curve the amount of tennis being played so late at night, the WTA and ATP are beginning to institute new rules for the tournaments they oversee with new recommended start times. Though it is impossible to know how long a tennis match will take, perhaps better foresight and planning in the future with extra time in case a match goes on.

“It’s a very obvious thing that needs to change. I haven’t heard anyone really disagree with that,” three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray said after a match in last year’s Australian Open. “Just probably looks a wee bit more professional if you’re not finishing at 3, or 4 in the morning.”

Despite the delays, the Australian Open and the sport of tennis are still seeing extreme levels of popularity. The tournament is expecting a record-setting more than a million total visitors throughout its two-week span, highlighted with 100,000 fans visiting on its first Saturday.

The growing popularity of tennis has also come due to the help of Netflix’s Break Point series, which follows and documents the journey of various players on the professional tour over the course of the season. The show follows models made by Drive to Survive and Quarterback, giving audiences a more personal view of the athletes they see on their TVs.

The Australian Open is the first of the four major tennis tournaments of the year, followed by the French Open in June, Wimbledon in July and the U.S. Open in September. It is set to end on January 26. with the women’s final and January 27 with the men’s final. Notable players remaining in the tournament are Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev for the men, and Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka on the women’s side.

The 20-year-old is still the number one ranked in the world for men’s tennis. Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon men’s final, as he also secured his second Grand Slam title. Here is the final moment of their match, as it lasted almost five hours in an intense back and forth.

In a five-set thriller, Spain’s Alcaraz defeated the record holder Djokovic 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, and 6-4 while the Serbian came up short with only 6-1 and 6-3 wins. The 36-year-old has a record with 23 Grand Slam titles, but Alcaraz winning against him is a whole new feat for him.

Alcaraz won his first major title in 2022 for the U.S. Open, becoming the youngest number one ranked in men’s tennis globally ever at 19 years old. It was also his fourth grass event ever as a professional tennis player, as he outlasted Djokovic in a match lasting four hours and 42 minutes.

The Serbian great had not lost at the All-England Club since 2017, as Alcaraz broke his 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Alcaraz said after the match. “As I said before, of course, it’s great to win, but even if I would’ve lost, I would be proud of myself in this run, making history in this beautiful tournament, playing a final against a legend in this sport.”

This was a rematch of the 2023 French Open Semifinal, as the world’s number one and number two went against each other in Alcaraz and Djokovic. That time, the 36-year-old won in four sets, with the 20-year-old dealing with cramps at Roland Garros. The Spanish tennis player also started slow in Wimbledon, as he lost his first set 1-6 to the Serbian, but wasn’t affected by previous cramping issues.

“After the first set, I thought, ‘Carlos, increase the level. Everyone could be disappointed,'” Alcaraz said, drawing laughs from the crowd. “I have to congratulate Novak, it’s amazing to play against him. What can I say about him? He is unbelievable. You inspire me a lot.”

However, Alcaraz rebounded on the second set and found his footing, lasting about an hour and 25 minutes before tying it up. Normally, Djokovic takes care of his opponents in that range with 15 consecutive tiebreak wins. However, Spain’s superstar beat those odds, and the legend’s streak of tiebreak wins in the second set, winning 7-6 (8-6).

That was sort of the turn of the tide, as Alcaraz took that win and ran with it into the third set, one that lasted about an hour in its own right. The 20-year-old led 3-1 but then Djokovic found his rhythm after the sixth break point but just couldn’t get close enough, as this match lasted about 26 minutes. After 32 points and 13 deuces, Alcaraz got the 4-1 lead that led to him winning the set 6-1 over the 36-year-old.

Djokovic entered the fifth set with a 10-1 record in five-set matches at Wimbledon, as he also briefly left the court ahead of the fourth set. The veteran’s experience came in handy for the final stage, but with the young star focused and determined, Alcaraz was able to get his first Wimbledon trophy in the end, winning the last set 6-4.

The Serbian was happy for him and said he was impressed with how well the Spaniard adjusted to playing on grass.

“As for me, obviously you know I never like to lose matches like this, but I guess when all the emotions are settled I have to still be very grateful because I won many, many tight and close matches in the past year,” Djokovic said. “Maybe I should’ve lost a couple of finals that I won, so I think this is even-steven.”

For Alcaraz, he pulled off a rare feat in a comeback not many, if anyone, has done even as the top-ranked player. Achieving this feat over Djokovic puts him among the greats already at such a young age, potentially signaling a changing of the guard between generations.

Novak Djokovic is the oldest champion of the French Open singles after he got his record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam men’s singles title.

The Serbian tennis player beat Norwegian Casper Ruud 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 in Sunday’s final at the 2023 Roland Garros tournament. The 36-year-old breaks the record he shared with Rafael Nadal, as he also broke Nadal’s record as the oldest French Open singles champion.

“Another day, another record for you,” Ruud said in his runner-up speech. “This tastes probably the best out of all.”

Djokovic joins three women who won all four tennis majors at least three times by becoming the first man to ever do it. This elite class includes the likes of Serena Williams, Steffi Graf and Margaret Court.

Prior to this, Djokovic beat Nadal’s record for reaching the quarterfinals 17 times in the French Open, now surpassing him further. His victory speech was in French, as Djokovic mentioned that it was special to break the record at the major that has been the most difficult for him to win.

“I waited for this moment and worked really, really hard to eventually get a shot at the historic Grand Slam title,” he said. “I’m obviously overwhelmed with most beautiful emotions at the moment but also huge relief because so much tension, so much intensity, so much, I guess, pressure and expectations.”

In 2007, Roger Federer defeated Djokovic in the U.S. Open during the Grand Slam final, and that stuck with the current French Open champion, as he noted that time was on his side as he sought to improve his game to eventually beat former Swiss tennis player Federer (age 41) and Spanish tennis player Nadal (age 37).

“I have said it before many times that they have actually defined me as a player, and all the success that I have, they have contributed to it, in a way, because of the rivalries and the matchups that we had,” he said. “Those two guys were occupying my mind for the last 15 years quite a lot. In a professional sense.”

After Sunday’s final, Djokovic’s coach, 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, took a line from 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick.

“[Djokovic] takes the legs, then he takes your soul, then he digs your grave and you have a funeral and you’re dead,” Ivanisevic said.

This has been a long journey for Djokovic to get here, as he won his first major at the 2008 Australian Open, to then win ten more Australian Open titles, breaking a record. But there was a gap in time between his first and second major, as it took another three years.

In 2011, Djokovic heated up, as he won 22 of his last 46 major starts and fended off up-and-coming young stars like 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who suffered full-body cramps against Djokovic in Friday’s semifinals. This is what facing a Grand Slam king like Djokovic can do to a younger or less experienced tennis player.

The rivalry and competitiveness between Djokovic against Nadal are unmatched, as both are one of one or, in this case, one of two or three. Other than Djokovic or Nadal, no one has more than three major titles, and no man, younger than 36, has more than one major title.

Federer is definitely in the mix between those two, as he retired with 20 titles in 2022. Nadal is a record 14-time French Open champion, as 2024 may be his last year. Due to a hip injury that required surgery, Nadal missed this year’s French Open and will also miss Wimbledon and the U.S. Open later this summer.

Nadal posted on social media five minutes after Djokovic was in a position most familiar to Nadal, on his back on the red clay of Court Philippe Chatrier in a championship celebration and said this:

“23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it!”

Djokovic has won the first two majors in the year for the third time, as he could possibly looking forward to a calendar Grand Slam. Only German woman’s tennis player Graf has ever accomplished winning all four majors in one year in the last 50 years.

“Truth of the matter is, and reality is, my body is responding differently, so I have to deal with more things physically than I have had maybe in the past,” Djokovic said. “Maybe five to ten years ago I was recovering much quicker or just didn’t feel as much pain in the body and the beating that I’m feeling today.”

With Wimbledon coming up in July, Djokovic will likely be the heavy favorite, as the Serbian won it four times in a row and seven times overall. He is one away from Federer’s men’s records there for total titles and consecutive titles.

If Djokovic can accomplish a calendar Grand Slam, he would break the overall record for major singles titles. At the moment, he is now tied with women tennis players Williams (American) and one less than Court (Australian).

“I don’t want to say that I am the greatest because I feel, I’ve said it before, it’s disrespectful towards all the great champions in different eras of our sport that were played in a completely different way than it is played today,” Djokovic said. “I leave those kinds of discussions of who is the greatest to someone else.”

Novak Djokovic broke a French Open quarterfinals record after his three wins (6-3, 6-2,6-2) over Juan Pablo Varillas on Sunday. This also breaks the tie with his rival Rafael Nadal, as Djokovic has reached the quarterfinals for the French Open 17 times.

Djokovic has also reached the French Open quarterfinals for the 14th consecutive year, which is the most for the event. This is five years longer than the next best with nine, which is from Swiss former pro tennis player Roger Federer.

However, this is only the beginning for the 36-year-old, as he could beat 37-year-old Nadal’s record for Grand Slam singles championships. Both are at 22 championships currently, and the Serbian tennis player could be the first ever in men’s tennis to hoist at least three trophies from each major tournament.

In comparison to Djokovic, the Spanish tennis star has won in Paris 14 times but due to a hip injury, is not in the match this time as he underwent arthroscopic surgery last Friday and is expected to be out for five months at least.

Peru’s Varillas, who was 94th-ranked, was the first Peruvian to reach the fourth round of a grand slam in 29 years. But he dominated the first three sets of Djokovic unsurprisingly.

Djokovic matched up with Russian Karen Khachanov, who was 11-ranked in the contest. Despite being a tougher match, the Serbian continues his victories as he won three out of the four sets, losing the first set 4-6 before roaring back with the next three sets, scoring 7-6, 6-2, and 6-4.

Djokovic statically has been on a hot streak, as finished with more than twice as many winners, 35-15, for the French Open. So far, he has converted 6 of 12 break points, is 15 for 17 on trips to the net, and 80% of his first serves. The Serbian has fewer unforced errors and has only dropped his serve once while not giving up a set yet through four matches.

Federer, who retired with 58 career major quarterfinals, is the only male pro tennis player to reach more than Djokovic, who is sitting at 55 career major quarterfinals. Winning at Roland Garros in 2016 and 2021, his next matchup in the Court Philippe Chatrier is on June 9 and his opponent is still TBD.

Tennis star Novak Djokovic received a warning from Tennis Australia Thursday after his father was seen taking photos with supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The tennis authority advised the Djokovic family, which is Serbian, to refrain from promoting political causes.

The video of Srdjan Djokovic, Novak’s father, was reportedly captured and posted shortly after his son’s resounding quarterfinal victory over Andrey Rublev. The father was caught holding a Russian flag alongside an individual wearing a shirt bearing the letter “Z.” The symbol has appeared on Russian military vehicles during the country’s conflict with Ukraine and has become an emblem indicating support for the Putin regime. He can also be heard saying something that reportedly translates to “Long live the Russians.”

Beyond the court, where has dominated thus far, Djokovic has had a turbulent time at the 2023 Australian Open. The Serbian star faced a whirlwind of questions upon arriving, as his vaccine status barred him from competing in the tournament in 2022. Controversies off the court have provided a stark contrast to his five nearly flawless matches in the tournament itself.

Though his father’s thoughts on the war in Ukraine are less well known and clearly sympathizes with Russians to some extent, Djokovic has addressed the issue several times publicly since it began. He reportedly reached out to Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky to offer support when the conflict first began. He also criticized Wimbledon for barring Russian and Belarusian competitors from last year’s tournament.

Barring some extraordinary event in which another political stance is taken, it is unlikely that the warning Djokovic and his father received will impact his standing in the tournament. Djokovic entered as a heavy favorite on the hard court in Melbourne and has maintained that status in the initial stages. He has won the Australian Open nine times since 2008, making it his most successful event.

After getting deported before this year’s Australian Open, star tennis player Novak Djokovic said that the event remains fresh in his mind but that he is also ready to move past it and compete again in 2023.

In January 2022, the Australian government barred Djokovic from competing in the tournament due to his failure to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. He had previously announced that he could compete because of an exemption. This exemption to compete did not extend to travel across the border, however, leading to his deportation.

“It stays with you for the rest of your life,” Djokovic said at his first press conference since returning to Australia. “It’s something I’ve never experienced before and hopefully never again, but it is a valuable life experience for me.”

Despite Djokovic’s negative memories about the incident, he went on to express admiration for the tournament and its organizers, as well as enthusiasm to compete again in the country.

“I have to move on and coming back to Australia speaks about how I feel about this country and how I feel about playing here,” Djokovic said.

Before his unceremonious and premature exit from the tournament in 2022, Djokovic’s name was already firmly associated with the Australian Open. He has dominated the event for most of his career, winning it nine times between 2008 and 2021. 

Roger Federer announced Thursday morning that he is retiring from singles tennis competition after 24 years on the ATP Tour. The Laver Cup in London next week, beginning on Sept. 23, will be his final professional appearance.

In an audio clip posted on social media, Federer cited age-related limitations for his decision to retire. The 20-time Grand Slam winner has suffered several injuries in recent years, some of which have required surgery.

“I am 41 years old. I’ve played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”

Following his ATP debut in 1998, Federer’s breakthrough came in 2003 when he won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon. He went on to win on the grass in London in six of seven years between 2003 and 2009 while compiling multiple wins in the U.S. Open and Australian Open as well.

A win at the French Open proved elusive, as Federer lost to Rafael Nadal in three straight finals between 2006 and 2008. But in 2009, he defeated Robin Söderling in the final to earn his sole title on the Paris clay.

In addition to his 20 Grand Slams, the most recent of which came at the 2018 Australian Open, Federer appeared in 10 Tour Finals, winning six of them. Representing Switzerland at the 2012 Olympics, he won the silver medal in men’s singles competition and a gold medal in doubles with partner Stan Wawrinka.

As a key member of one of the greatest generations of men’s tennis, along with players like Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, Federer helped popularize tennis for new fans in highly competitive events between some of the best players to ever step foot on the court. In his announcement, he said that he never suspected he could have such a prolonged impact on the game.

“I was given a special talent to play tennis and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible.”

In next week’s Laver Cup, Federer will compete for Team Europe, along with teammates Djokovic, Murray, Nadal, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsisipas. They will face off against Team World, featuring the likes of Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe. It should be a fitting sendoff for a tennis legend.

For the Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, the last year has been one of trump and failure. After losing in the U.S. Open final in devastating fashion in 2021, his hopes of a Calendar Slam were crushed. His dreams were then crushed again as he fell from the number one spot in the World Rankings and again when he lost to Rafael Nadal in the French Open, only to see Nadal claim glory at Garros once more.

This Sunday, however, Djokovic prevailed over Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final to win his 21st Grand Slam. In front of a star-studded and full crowd at the All England Club, Djokovic beat Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) to capture the elusive title. “I lost words for what this tournament, what this trophy means to me,” Djokovic said following his victory. “It always has been, and will be, the most special tournament in my heart, the one that motivated me to start playing tennis.”

Kyrgios was playing in his first Grand Slam final following his controversial yet attention-grabbing run at Wimbledon. The Aussie star has garnered a reputation as being one of the most electrifying and most-hated stars in recent memory, and he certainly put up a fight against the more-experienced Djokovic. Krygios quickly become unraveled during the match, growing more frustrated as the Serbian figured him out.

“He’s just really composed,” Kyrgios said. “It’s weird, I felt like he didn’t do anything amazing today. He returned obviously the way he returns. I feel like he’s just a great returner. But he was just so composed. That’s what I was just thinking to myself. In big moments, it just felt like he was never rattled. I feel like that’s his greatest strength, he just never looks rattled. He just looks completely within himself the whole time.”

Djokovic said that this win was an emotional one for him due to the turmoil that he had been facing during his bad run of form. “Certainly this year has not been the same like last years,” he said. “It has started the way it has started and it has affected me, definitely, in the first several months of the year. I was not feeling great generally. I mean, mentally, emotionally, I was not at a good place.”

There is no word about Djokovic’s status for August’s U.S. Open, though the Serbian says that he hoped COVID restrictions would be eased or that he would be granted an exemption. For now, the star says that he will take a break to relax. “I am on vacation,” Djokovic said. “Whether or not I’m playing any tournament soon, I’ll definitely be resting for the next couple weeks because it has been quite an exhausting and demanding period for me the last few months. A lot of tennis, which I was very happy about.”

In one of the most-anticipated matches of the 2022 French Open, Rafael Nadal got one over on his career rival and one of the best tennis players of all time, Novak Djokovic. The Spanish legend beat the Swiss player in four sets to advance to the semifinals Tuesday night. The match began around 9 p.m. and went well over into the next day, lasting an unrelenting four hours. Nadal had taken the first set 6-2 before Djokovic took the second set and fourth causing a fifth playoff in which Nadal rallied back from down 2-5.

This marked the 59th time that Nadal and Djokovic have faced each other head-to-head, the most any two men have been pitted against each other in history. Nadal has won 29 of those matches while Djokovic has won 30. The win over Djokovic also prevents him from a chance of tying Nadal’s record  21 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic’s loss also means that his French Open title defense is lost after he won the event last year. Nadal now has a chance to add to both his Grand Slam trophies and also extend his French Open title record. Nadal’s 13 French Open titles are more than double that of second-most holder Bjorn Borg. Nadal will face No. 3 Alexander Zverev from Germany in the semifinals on Friday.

Nadal’s win is even more impressive since he has been battling a chronic foot injury that he has been dealing with for the better part of the last two decades. First sustained in 2005, the foot injury kept Nadal from playing much of 2021, and he had brought his personal doctor with him to Roland Garros for the 2022 French Open. The injury as well as his age means that this year’s competition may be the last French Open of his career. The 35-year-old told reporters on Sunday, “Two and a half weeks ago, even if I had (positive hopes) after Rome, I didn’t even know if I would be able to be here. So I’m just enjoying the fact that I am here for one more year. And being honest, every match that I play here, I don’t know if it is going to be my last match in Roland Garros in my tennis career.”

The tennis legend is two wins away from another trophy and knows the significance of his win over Djokovic and what it means to the fans coming to see him play, “The crowd has been amazing since the beginning of the tournament,” Nadal said. “I don’t know. I think probably they know that I’m not going to be here many more times. I don’t know what can happen. I think as I said before, I’m going to be playing this tournament because we are doing the things to be ready to play this tournament, but I don’t know what’s going to happen after here.”

Novak Djokovic, who has recently made headlines for his off-the-court antics has now made more off-court noise: he’s called Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players “crazy” and added that he does not support it.

“I will never support war because as a child of war I know how much emotional trauma it inflicts,” said the men’s world No. 1, who grew up in Serbia during the war in the ‘90s. “But I cannot support Wimbledon’s decision. It is crazy.”

The ban impacts many top players: Russia men’s No. 2 Daniil Medvedev and No. 8 Andrey Rublev and women’s No. 15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova; Belarusian No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 18 Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) would also be banned.

“Given the profile of The Championships in the United Kingdom and around the world, it is our responsibility to play our part in the widespread efforts of Government, industry, sporting, and creative institutions to limit Russia’s global influence through the strongest means possible,” the announcement said.

Wimbledon is set to begin on June 27.

He’s in. He’s out. Now he’s in again: Following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, French Open officials say that Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his title.

The tournament, which is set to be the first Grand Slam sans any coronavirus-related restrictions since things got hectic, begins on May 22. Though French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton noted that things could change before that date.

France Monday lifted restrictions in all public places except hospitals, nursing homes and public transportation.

“As things stand, nothing stands in the way of Djokovic taking part in the French Open,” tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said.

Russian tennis players will be allowed to play but only as neutral athletes, of course due to the war in Ukraine.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner was unable to defend his Australian Open title in January, it was a big thing. The 34-year-old is also out of numerous U.S. tournaments sans proof of vaccination.

“There’s still a virus circulating, and we have to be cautious,” Moretton said. “If things were to happen again and the government would take new measures, we would not be excluded from these measures.”

On the heels of relaxed vaccine rules in the country, Novak Djokovic may be able to compete in the French Open after his ordeal with the Australian Open. The Serbian was famously prevented from playing Down Under due to his firm anti-Covid-19-vaccination stance.

France had the same vaccination standards as Australia, but Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that on March 14 people will no longer have to show proof of vaccination to access public venues—including sports stadiums.

The French Open begins on May 22.

The lightening of restrictions could also pave the way for the 34-year-old to play in April’s Monte Carlo Masters.

“The situation is improving thanks to our collective efforts,” Castex said. “The conditions are met for a new phase of easing of measures.”

Djokovic said during the Australian Open fiasco that missing large tournaments was “the price [he] was willing to pay” to eschew the vaccine.

Since digging his heels in, though, he lost his world number one ranking—a spot he’s held since February 2020—overtaken by Daniil Medvedev after being knocked out in the quarterfinals of last week’s Dubai Open, his first tourney since the Australian Open.

Some people never learn. Novak Djokovic is clearly one of them.

The top-ranked men’s tennis player said that he would skip the French Open and Wimbledon this year if they require a COVID-19 vaccination—this comes after all he recently went through at the Australian Open.

In an interview, Djokovic said that he’s still unvaccinated and plans to keep it that way even if it means missing major tournament—“the price that I am willing to pay.”

Djokovic has been hailed as a hero by the anti-vax world after he was denied entry into Australia last month. However, he said that he’s not part of that movement but thinks people should have “freedom” to choose what is “appropriate for them.”

“Everyone has the right to choose, to act, or say whatever they feel is appropriate for them,” Djokovic said. “[Everyone should have] the freedom to choose what you put into your body. And, for me, that is essential.”

“Based on all the information that I got, I decided not to take the vaccine, as of today. I understand the consequences of my decision,” Djokovic added. “I understand that not being vaccinated today, you know, I am unable to travel to most of the tournaments at the moment.”

He even spoke of the Australian Open controversy.

“What people probably don’t know is that I was not deported from Australia on the basis that I was not vaccinated, or I broke any rules or that I made an error in my visa declaration,” Djokovic said.

“The reason why I was deported from Australia was because the minister for immigration used his discretional right to cancel my visa based on his perception that I might create some anti-vax sentiment in the country or in the city, which I completely disagree with.”

He’s out. He’s in. Now he’s out again.

Novak Djokovic now faces deportation—again—after the Australian government revoked his visa, as the plot thickens on the saga of the top-ranked men’s tennis player and his COVID-19 vaccination status.

Djokovic is looking to compete in the Australian Open, which begins in three days and at which he has won nine of his 20 Grand Slam titles. However, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he used his ministerial discretion to cancel the 34-year-old’s visa on “health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.”

His statement added that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government “is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders, particularly in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

His lawyers are expected to appeal at the Federal Circuit and Family Court, which they successfully did last week after his visa was first canceled after he landed in Melbourne.

Deportation from Australia can lead to a three-year ban, which would make Djokovic 37 the next time he’s allowed to compete there.

“This pandemic has been incredibly difficult for every Australian but we have stuck together and saved lives and livelihoods,” Morrison said in a statement. “Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected. This is what the Minister is doing in taking this action today.”

Everyone at the Australian Open is required to be vaccinated for the illness caused by the coronavirus. Djokovic is not and had sought a medical exemption on the grounds that he had it in December. The exemption was approved by the Victoria state government and Tennis Australia, but the Australian Border Force rejected the exemption and canceled his visa on January 5.

Djokovic spent four nights in an immigration detention hotel before a judge overturned that decision, which allowed him to travel the country. He’s been practicing at Melbourne Park and had a mid-afternoon practice booked for Friday afternoon but changed it to earlier in the day.

Melbourne immigration lawyer Kian Bone said, “If you left it any later than he has done now, I think from a strategic standpoint, he’s really hamstringing Djokovic’s legal team, in terms of what sort of options or remedies he could obtain.”

Djokovic’s lawyers would need to get two urgent orders—one an injunction preventing his deportation, and the other to force Hawke to grant Djokovic a visa to play.

“That second order is almost not precedented,” Bone said. “Very rarely do the courts order a member of the executive government to grant a visa.”

Continuing the seemingly never-ending saga of Novak Djokovic attempting to play in the Australian Open, the top-ranked men’s tennis player admitted Wednesday that a travel document he presented to Australian border officials last week contained erroneous information.

The acknowledgement came as the country’s authorities were investigating whether he should be deported with regards to his COVID-19 vaccination—or lack thereof—status.

Djokovic also revealed that he had attended a basketball game and then participated in an interview and photo shoot last month in Serbia despite testing positive for COVID—a breach of the country’s rules. Australian officials are looking into whether he poses public-health risk.

It’s not the first time Djokovic has run afoul of rules during the pandemic. In mid-2020, he held a tennis tournament after which he and several others tested positive for COVID.

Djokovic’s statement says that he “had not received the notification of a positive PCR result” until December 17, after the event involving children, documents he provided to Australian officials say otherwise. Officials say the Serbian government will “deal with it” if it turns out Djokovic lied.

Also addressed were questions about the declaration he made on his visa paperwork that he had not traveled to any other countries in the 14 days before arriving in Australia. He said his agent made an “administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box.”

“This was a human error and certainly not deliberate,” he said, adding that his team on Wednesday had “provided additional information to the Australian government to clarify the matter.”

Djokovic’s lawyers had made “lengthy further submissions and supporting documentation said to be relevant to the possible cancellation of Djokovic’s visa.”

Don’t look for this messy situation to be cleared up any time soon.

You gotta be Djoking!

Almost immediately following Novak Djokovic’s COVID-19 vaccine-related escapade with the Australian Border Force, WTA Tour player Renata Voracova also found herself in hot water ahead of the 2022 Australian Open.

Voracova’s vaccination status, though, came into question after she’d already played a warm-up tournament in Melbourne. Whereas Djokovic never even made it into the country.

She, too, received a vaccine exemption from Tennis Australia because she’d recently had and recovered from the COVID. However, Border Force officials informed her she must leave the country.

Voracova was taken to the same detention facility as Djokovic, and she won’t appeal the ruling.

Djokovic also received clearance to enter the country after receiving an exemption.

“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission,” he wrote on Instagram.

Djokovic was detained by immigration officials but later released on a judge’s order.

The Australian Open is scheduled to start January 17.

Voracova, 38, has played in the Australian Open doubles draw 13 times dating back to 2003, and she also played in the singles draw on five occasions. She’s never made it past the second round, though, in either event.

She’s currently ranked 81st in doubles but doesn’t have an active singles ranking.