Djokovic yet to get Nadal message as duo told being friends isn’t easy

Novak Djokovic jokes about his age at the Australian Open

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Rafaal Nadal has yet to publicly congratulate Novak Djokovic on breaking the record for total weeks spent as the world number one.

The 35-year-old surpassed Steffi Graf’s tally of 377 weeks on Monday. The Serbian already held the record for the most weeks as No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings when he surpassed Roger Federer’s mark of 310 weeks in March 2021.

So far neither the Swiss Maestro or Nadal, who has spent 209 weeks in top spot, have taken to social media to acknowledge their rival’s achievement. Djokovic, currently on 6,980 points in the rankings, returned to No. 1 last month for the first time since last June after winning a record-extending 10th Australian Open title in January.

To mark the occasion Djokovic recorded a video for his loyal fans which was uploaded to Instagram. “Of course with your love and great strength that you have given me over the years, I’ve managed to achieve many fantastic achievements throughout my career,” the 22-time Grand Slam winner said.

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“The most recent one [is] breaking the record [with] 378 weeks on No. 1 [in the] rankings, surpassing one of the greatest, most legendary tennis players — both men and women — that ever played, Steffi Graf. So I’m flattered, obviously extremely, extremely proud and happy for this achievement.”

Last week a former tennis star provided his assessment on the friendship of Nadal and Djokovic. The two legends of the sport have battled on court 49 times throughout their illustrious careers and have pushed each other to their absolute limit – raising the bar of the sport in the process.

Alongside Federer, the pair were at the forefront of what is arguably the greatest era in the history of tennis throughout the late 2000s into the 2010s, and the Spaniard and Serbian players each have 22 Grand Slams to show for their efforts. However, former world number two Àlex Corretja claimed that despite their success on the tour and the number of special moments they have shared together, it is difficult for them to be friends given their rivalry.

“We are talking about one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. I don’t know if it’s so easy to be the best friend of someone with whom you risk so many things,” the Spaniard told Spanish radio station Cadena SER. “I think that Nadal and Djokovic have a respectful relationship but I don’t see them going to dinner together to discuss situations.

“In tennis, everyone is very closed to their team. The same thing happened to us, they are different habits, you have different schedules, another way of being. Just as Federer and Nadal had a rivalry but turned it into something closer, Djokovic and Nadal have been on opposite paths at the level of ideals and sharing things with the fans.”

Djokovic will return to action at the Dubai Open this afternoon, while Nadal was pictured back on the practice court as he steps up his recovery from a hip injury sustained at the Australian Open last month.

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