The last time they met, Djokovic defeated Nadal in the 2024 Paris Olympics on the clay courts of Roland Garros (not counting the exhibition at the Six Kings Slam). Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

The Serbian regretted not being there to say goodbye to his great rival on the tennis courts. It's been almost two months, but the farewell ceremony for Rafael Nadal that took place on November 19 at the Martin Carpena pavilion in Malaga at the end of the Davis Cup quarter-final between Spain and the Netherlands is still going strong.

Novak Djokovic is the latest big name from the world of tennis to blast Rafael Nadal’s retirement ceremony. Nadal hung up his racket late last year, with his final-ever match as a professional tennis player coming at the 2024 Davis Cup finals.

MELBOURNE, Australia -- And then there was one: The Big Three is down to just Novak Djokovic, who stands alone from a golden generation of men’s tennis now that Rafael Nadal has joined Roger Federer in retirement.

Novak Djokovic now holds another Grand Slam record as he officially surpassed fellow tennis legend Roger Federer on Wednesday when he played the 430th major match in his career. After Djokovic's first-round match at the Australian Open on Monday, he tied Federer for the record.

Speaking on Rafael Nadal's unceremonious exit from the sport last year after a Davis Cup quarterfinal loss, Novak Djokovic said that organisers had not facilitated a retirement ceremony befitting of the 22-time Slam-winning Nadal's stature in the sport.

Novak Djokovic surpasses Roger Federer's record for the most major singles matches played as he reaches the Australian Open third round.

After advancing to the third round of the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic admitted that he was surprised to break Roger Federer's Grand Slam match record.