Rafael Nadal's retirement was marked by a ceremony at the Davis Cup last year, though the event has been widely panned and even Novak Djokovic has had his say

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.

Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles, an all-time record in the men's game that he took from Nadal by winning the 2023 French Open

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.

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.

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.

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 . The Australian Open , which started Sunday (Saturday night EST),

"I accepted it as it is. I understood the messaging that I got, which was we are rivals and nothing else,” Djokovic said

All of the attention will be on Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic's new partnership in the next fortnight at the Australian Open as the Scot named his all-time greatest tennis player