Rafael Nadal loss could cost Novak Djokovic, says Grand Slam legend
Tennis legend Andre Agassi says Novak Djokovic may be badly affected by the loss of Rafael Nadal next season.
Nadal played his final match this year in a glorious career, much of which was spent fighting against Djokovic for the biggest honours in the sport. The Spaniard followed Roger Federer and Andy Murray into retirement, leaving 37-year-old Djokovic as the last of the ‘big four’.
Murray has joined Djokovic’s coaching team for 2025, and that has created a buzz of intrigue. Djokovic uncharacteristically failed to win a Grand Slam this year, so all eyes are on the new partnership to see if he can be revitalised by his former rival.
Agassi coached Djokovic himself for a year earlier in his career, but he thinks the Serb’s challenges may be more mental than technical – and losing the last of his rivals will be a big part of that.
“It’s hard to say, Father Time always wins. He’s already done so much, so long, and it’s hard to imagine longer. I think he’ll run out of the energy for it more than the capability of it, I would imagine,” the former world No 1 said.
“It cannot be easy, especially when the people you came to the dance with have left, that’s a big thing. When Pete [Sampras] retired, it was a blow to me. It set me back a little bit. It made me have to rediscover my inspirations on some level.
“And he (Djokovic) has lost the guys that he’s made history with. So, it’s probably emotionally going to get tougher and tougher quickly, but I would never bet against him. Bet against him at your own peril.”
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