The match against Rafa in Australia for the title 14 years back was a massive chapter in their legacies as they gave their all in a five-set masterclass that lasted almost six hours, with Djokovic edging out Nadal.
Nadal took to X on Monday and expressed his gratitude to his long-time rivals for their presence at the tribute.
Rafael Nadal returned to Melbourne not as a competitor this time, but as a supporter -- backing fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the Australian Open final.
Rafa Nadal is scheduled to play in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi in December, organisers said in a statement.
Iga Swiatek has hired Francisco Roig, formerly with Rafael Nadal, as her new coach to improve her performance on clay courts, starting at the Stuttgart Open.
Here is a quick glance of all the highs and lows from Nadal's stupendous career:
Defending Olympic champion Andy Murray reached the semi-finals of the men's tennis on Friday after winning a third-set tiebreak to scrape through a testing encounter against American Steve Johnson.
On the anniversary of the day he first walked on to the Roland Garros court 20 years ago, Rafael Nadal returned as a hero to be celebrated by a crowd that has always embraced him as one of their own.
Australian tennis great Rod Laver said that watching Nadal compete had been a privilege.
Novak Djokovic went down fighting 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to Alcaraz, who bagged his first Melbourne Park title and became the youngest man to win all four majors.
Carlos Alcaraz played dream-wrecker to Novak Djokovic again as he floored the record-chasing Serb 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 for a first Australian Open title and became the youngest man to win all four majors.
Carlos Alcaraz praised Novak Djokovic as an inspiration and gave a shout-out to compatriot Rafa Nadal after downing the Serbian great in four sets on Sunday to claim his first Australian Open title.
World tennis number one Carlos Alcaraz has split with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, they said on Wednesday, ending a seven-year partnership that delivered 24 titles including six Grand Slam crowns.
Vintage Djokovic dethrones Sinner to set up Alcaraz final at Australian Open
Nadal to make injury return at Madrid Open
Carlos Alcaraz completed a thrilling comeback to capture his fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open on Sunday, drawing level with his childhood idol Rafael Nadal's tally at the same age.
Spaniard Rafa Nadal confirmed on Monday he was fit to pursue an eighth consecutive victory at the season's opening clay court tournament in Monte Carlo after recovering from a recurrent knee injury.
A year before he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2005, Rafa made his debut in India at the Chennai Open.
Spaniards Rafa Nadal and David Ferrer will lock horns again in the Monte Carlo Masters final after the claycourt conquistadors sealed contrasting victories in their semi-finals on Saturday.
Carlos Alcaraz would rather win his first Australian Open than retain his French Open and US Open titles next year, the Spaniard said on Friday, a day after sealing the year-end world number one ranking at the ATP Finals.
A tearful Rafa Nadal was stunned 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 by fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Wednesday, ending his quest to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once.
The current best player in the world meets the greatest claycourt player of all time in a French Open blockbuster on Friday -- but it is not even the final.
Novak Djokovic claimed his third ATP World Tour title in a perfect season by beating top-seeded Spaniard Rafa Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Sunday.
Spaniard Rafa Nadal won his 67th career title with a 7-5, 7-5 victory against dangerous Italian Fabio Fognini in the final of the Hamburg Open on Sunday.
Carlos Alcaraz heads to Paris for his French Open title defence having laid down a marker with his victory over world number one Jannik Sinner in Rome
While off-court battles over pay and governance rumbled on, opportunities were scarce beyond the duopoly at the top of the men's game, leaving Djokovic to provide the year's standout moments for the chasing pack.
Nadal aims to play at French Open, Olympics
Rafa Nadal suffered a setback in his Paris 2024 Olympics preparations on Sunday as he was beaten 6-3 6-2 in the Swedish Open final by Portuguese seventh seed Nuno Borges.
'I've never been of the thought that Rafa needs rhythm because he's too good for that. But now the situation is different.'
The Spaniard, who has slipped to world number 672, said he was feeling much better than a year ago but added that he cannot have long-term goals just yet.
Rafa Nadal has set up his own company to manage athletes and organise events with his long-term agent Carlos Costa, the world number five announced on Saturday.
The trio of Spaniards -- Rafa Nadal, David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro -- showed why the nation has ruled Roland Garros for most of the last decade.
'Novak is playing here, so it's easier. But Andy and Roger coming meant a lot to me because they represent a very important part of my tennis career.'
There is a reason why Rafa Nadal is called 'the Boss' by Nicolas Almagro and on Wednesday the ruthless claycourt king fired his fellow-Spaniard in his pursuit of a record seventh Roland Garros title.
Rafael Nadal teamed up with Carlos Alcaraz for the first time as Spain's so-called dream team opened their Olympic doubles campaign with a 7-6(4), 6-4 defeat of Argentine sixth seeds Maximo Gonzales and Andres Molteni on Saturday.
Coco Gauff said she will never again make the mistake of doubting Rafael Nadal's chances at French Open
'I've seen Federer and Nadal and they played a couple of good finals but nothing comes close to this.'
A bare-chested protestor who jumped on to court with a red flare and the dogged resistance of fellow Spaniard David Ferrer could not stop an irrepressible Rafa Nadal from storming to a record eighth French Open title with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win on Sunday.
A nostalgic Rafa Nadal reminisced about his freewheeling teenage days after charging into the Australian Open third round on Thursday and forecast a visit to a local aquarium ahead of the next battle in his bid for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title.
World number one Rafa Nadal withstood a barrage of power serving by Croat Ivo Karlovic to reach the semi-finals of the Indian Wells ATP tournament with a thrilling 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 victory on Thursday.
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