Incredible to see how much better Djokovic is on pressure points now. When he had set point in the 1st set tiebreak you just see him nervously hitting it right back to Nadal with very little pace on it hoping his opponent messes up. He’s a completely different player now. He digs deep and goes for it on the pressure points.
You're absolutely right about this one. Nowadays he has way more confidence, hitting the ball with a lot more power either it's a set/match point for him or his opponent. His developed his mental through the years, beyond it's limits.
I agree with what you're saying but there's something missing that would be in the mix as well. When you're playing Rafa, a version of him that's playing well, that increases the pressure. The last time they played we saw Djokovic make some risky shots that he might not have done otherwise and it didn't work out that particular time. And the last slam final they played it was the same story. Rafa played a great match for 1 and a half sets at a level that Djokovic admired surprised him, and that affects what you do as well. Can go different directions with that. Might not quite take your chances on one side or overdo it on the other.
@@sjjapplet us Rafa fans not become like Fed fans: always making excuses when another player is better than our idol. Whether we like it or not: Djok has topped Nadal. The good news is: Rafa has topped Feddie.
@@thisnamealsotaken I've actually defended all 3 in various ways at different points. What I actually like is a fair perspective and to give credit where it's due. I don't mind what if scenarios either.
These dudes really battled for 59 times!! and it's only 30-29. You can't script that. Best rivalry imo. Better than Fedal. Two of the best players in history.
@@peterfoley4864 All these ATP players (but also from the WTA) are so scared to speak up on the likely case that many or some ATP players have been Paid Off, Bribed, to lose to Novaq since 2022. Until the ATP, ITF AND others look deep into ALL top 100 ATP players' bank transactions, cell and computer (public computers, too)/tablet use, and pay phone, since 2022 through now, some players have been Bribed to lose to Novaq just so the White man advances on most records over Steffi, Serena and Margarette, and more majors than Rafael. Bigots and racists can say Rafael is White, but CASE HISTORY displays the Latino/Spanish name is hated in pop culture. COURT BIAS (bias and prejudice is the ONLY case for IF'S to work). The reason why most big tournaments are hardcourt every year is due to Western bias and prejudice. Many kids in most other places can only afford to train on dirt or clay. Had most big tournaments been played on clay every other year, Rafael would more-than-likely have 35 or so majors, many masters, more 500's and 250;s, and surely more Golds. His winning more of these tournaments on clay would have surely made him a better player on all surfaces. Novaq would have some 15 or so majors, and the rest of his records would be cut short. Rafael is GOAT by reasonable default. I don't know where Roger would be. THEY MUST CHECK ALL ATP 100 TOP PLAYERS' RECORDS as I mentioned above, until then many or some players have been Paid Off. These powers in tennis are human, prone to biases and prejudices as top executives in other sports: no one is special, no one is beyond questioning.
It's also unbelievable that Nadal won 2 Slams in 2022. Amazing longevity by both, but I think Novak's impressive fitness will allow him to remain in Slam-winning form till he's 40 years old, making him the tennis player with the superior longevity of all time.
@@jameswalker6864 Of course the Aus Open 2022 has the caveat of the favorite player, Djokovic, not being able to play, but even then Nadal made an impressive effort to beat all best hard court players, in a tournament where he had won only once before. In next year's French open, I can see him moving through quarterfinals for a great exit run, and Nole will play for the next 4 years to reach 28-30 Grand Slams, depending on Alcaraz' improvements over time.
@@shiftt. Don't forget Roland-Garros 2022 too, another special effort (and last hurrah?) by Nadal. I concur with your logico-methodological analysis. Novak will try his best to reach that "magical" number of 30 Slams to leave his reign with untouchable records for the future generations to come.
Rafa's movements were 100 times better than 2022. How in the world djoker has managed to keep his movements from 2008 intact even today? That's amazing level of fitness and work ethic
Because he is much heavier and injury prone. I don't think Rafa works any less than the Djoker, but Djoker might work smarter and is genetically built for a longer career.
And a lot of injury is just bad luck or genetics - which none of us sadly have any control We love to make things like a competition like one must be doing something better than the other. Don’t think it’s always the case
TWO OF THE BEST. They are the the blueprint of today's players. Fast, athletic, can withstand extreme long rallies. They are monsters. Can't believe this was 15 years ago.
@Maverick 85 That's completely irrelevant. My point had to do with the most recent generation because...wait for it...context. You've gone from an (incorrect) assumption to a non-sequitur. What's up next? Ad-hominem attacks?
Can't believe this match was played 15 years ago, such an enjoyable one, a shame it didn't go to a 3rd set though. To think that only 9 days prior to this match, Nadal and Djokovic battled each other in the French Open semis, it's been a privilege watching them battle each other 59 times over the years on all surfaces and in all of the biggest tournaments, hopefully we will get to watch one last battle #60 between them before one of them hangs up the racquet for good
What an armwrestle between the two with Nadal squeezing out the victory. There was no limit to Nadal's prowess and grittiness in the summer of '08. Sensational match, Kudos for extending the highlights already posted a few years ago!
@@fg92626 Hehe, the rivalry started at 2006! Won't blame you if you lost all your memories before 2013. Having selective memory is all you can do, and just knew you would replied something like this.
@@DavidGao1988 in 2011 Prime Nadal was sent to beatdown city in straight 6 major finals 2 on clay wimbledon and us open included but wait in 2012 AO final he got spanked too that is already 7. Don't call this rivalry 😂
Rafa is a phenomenal all-court player, anyone who says he is only good on clay is mad. Though he's not as strong as Djokovic on grass and hard courts consistently he's still absolutely top-tier. It's wild how well Nole has been able to maintain his form as well so many years later. Hats off to both of these guys, the two greatest to ever do it and THE greatest rivalry in all of sports
@@roddlecoddle No, you didn't. No one believes you knew this about Djokovic in 2008. Federer and Nadal were obvious. There wasn't anyone else at the time. Knock off the nonsense.
@@roddlecoddle You're not a prognosticator. You didn't know a damn thing about Djokovic in 2008 except that he was nowhere near Federer's or Nadal's level. His breakout year didn't come until three years later. In 2008, it was Federer & Nadal...and everyone else. Period.
Nadal won the French against Federer in the final... then Nadal beat Djokovic at the Queens final... then Nadal beat Federer at the Wimbledon final. Have to wonder how many players have ever won the French, Queens and Wimbledon all in a row in the same year. Can't be very many... And Rafa did it against the very best opponents in the game. It is probably one of the greatest achievements ever - winning those 3 titles back to back to back - against those opponents.
Love this Djokovic form, best form pre 2011. Agressive, hitting with pace, nice flatter forehand and the serve didn't have that HORRIBLE form from 2009, 2010, very very good player already
Back in 2008, I only thought Nadal would surpass Federer. He'd beaten Federer at the French open final back to back and ended up beating Federer at Wimbledon and winning Olympic gold in Beijing (beating Djokovic in the semi finals coincidentally) Djokovic only had 1 grand slam winning in Australia earlier that year and was quite streaky
@@TaiAkinz but Novak was only 21. defeat Federer in 3 sets in the AO, and had a lot of consistency, 5 consecutive semis of slam at that moment, playing well in all surfaces
@@Luiz-nb3uz I get your point, but after winning in the Australian open in 2008, Djokovic didn't make a slam final till 2011. Nadal and Federer were still the top dogs till Djokovic elevated his level in 2011, 3 years from this match at Queen's club.
Que buen recuerdo, me había olvidado que nadal ganó queens ese año justo después le gana en otro partidazo a Roger en wimbledon 2008, y novak pierde ese mismo año queens y al año siguiente no lo juega por que cambio y juega halle y también pierde en la final con haas y después vemos que nole tiene 7 wimbledon a 1 de igualar al otro más grande roger federer increíble, después discutimos connlos chicos de hoy caso alcaraz son buenos jugadores probable que ganen grand.slam pero con estas bestias van a ser difícil de superar.y que lindo tenis se jugaba en ese tiempo ahora cambio un poco empezó de las pelotas y la velocidad de las canchas, buenísimo.
The guy playing against Nadal is quite good, he has the potential to win a few grandslams if he keeps his fitness intact and work on his mental stability.
Man Federer and Nadal were admittedly lucky Novak didn't peak as early as Rafa did when he entered the scene aged 19 in 2005. Djokovic started to peak in 2011, aged 24, but he pretty much didn't leave room for any of them to succeed. The only exception is Nadal on clay, but even then, Djokovic's feats on clay since 2011 stomp 99.9% of players on clay.
Djokovic hits a huge forehand winner on 5-5 40-0 in the second set, which is missing from these highlights but should definitely have been included (other videos of this match have included that shot).
This is one of the best matches of Rafa and Novak. I think we needed more grass matches from 2010-2014. But Rafa just decided he wants to flop on grass in his prime days. He really played some great tennis on his hay days. Don't know what really happened.
😂 It is interesting to consider how different narratives in tennis can influence players' achievements. There is a player, Nadal, who is considered one of the "best" in history, even though he has never won an ATP Finals tournament against the top eight players! If you are "the best," you should be able to defeat all the top eight players in a row. Nadal cannot do that, and therefore, he cannot be the best player! However, this fact is often overlooked, despite the player winning the same tournament seven times. He achieved victories in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2022. This is what gives you trouble and sleepless nights. Additionally, he has won each Grand Slam tournament three times and all Masters 1000 tournaments twice, holding the record for the most titles on four different surfaces in a single year. That is truly remarkable! Furthermore, he has a positive record against his greatest rivals. It is important to recognize that in tennis, the evaluation of a player's greatness is not solely based on victories against top players. It is also about acknowledging their dominance in other aspects of the sport. Winning and losing are part of the game, and to be successful, one must learn from defeats. It is regrettable that some mainstream media outlets attempt to diminish this player's achievements. It is time to expand our perspective beyond traditional narratives and duly acknowledge this player's accomplishments and influence. It is an inspiring story for anyone striving for success, regardless of preconceived expectations. Let us appreciate this player's achievements and recognize the beauty of tennis in all its diversity. IDEMO BREEE ❤
It’s impossible that it's mature people behind these comments, each one fighting to say that such and such is the strongest and the best and making sure to belittle the other player. Life really does come down to this for some people!
1.0 version of Djokovic, almost no play at net and horrific drop shots.. Rafael Nadal is the one responsible for making Djoko to imorove those segments.
In 2008 Nadal was at the peak of his clay court form. He swept Federer in the final of Roland Garros 2008 and entered the grass season with high confidence and won the 2008 Wimbledon and then the Beijing Olympics medal. Novak beat Rafa 3 times at masters tournaments on hard courts and won the 2008 Australian Open and the 2008 ATP Tour Finals as well. Novak's problems in 2009 and until the end of 2010 were problems with his fitness and his body. when he found a solution and changed his diet, we all know what happened
He's played really well again recently as well. He should’ve won wimbledon in 2018, had a really close match with Federer in 19, and was at least making the final last year had he not torn his abdomen
Man, stop your delusions. Novak destroyed Nadal in the 2011 Wimbledon final, and since then Novak caused Nadal a trauma, as he never reached the Wimbledon final after that
2011 Nole is just a terminator. He just outperforms everyone that year. Not to mention he even had a greater year in 2015, which imo the best season ever by a player
in hard court djoker dominates and in clay rafa dominates djoker grass is the where they evenly match 2018 wimbledon was the best version of them i have ever seen
they are 2 vs 2 because nadal fails to play djokovic more often since 2011 on grass, until 2018. Only one match in more than 12 years. Nadal disasters defeats between 2012 and 2017, he avoids to play djokovic on wimbledon.
one of Nadal's wins is in best of 3 though and his other was via retirement at 1 set all and a break for Nadal, so I'd still say Djokovic has the edge. That wimbledon match in 2007 was early on as well for Djokovic, he might have not broken the top 3 yet. Shame they didn't play more times at Wimbledon.
Imagine how big this match was by comparing it with today's context. Nowadays, next-gen players are very slow to adapt to grass courts after a long clay season. Especially, if a top-10 player makes a deep run at Roland Garros, they most likely skip the pre-Wimbledon tournaments to have a good Wimbledon. But there they were, 2 giants of the game; only 22 and 21 years of age; having met in the semi finals of Roland Garros just 2 weeks earlier, meeting again in a grass court final. One to also become a Wimbledon champion within a fortnight at the mere age of 22. We witnessed the greatest era of tennis, and it is not going to come back.
@@RallyVozac Nadal was not at his best in 2018 either, he was coming from an almost 5 hour QF, as well the match with Djokovic was indoors, which is an advantage for Djokovic.
@@Omkar529 If Nadal was any good, he would reach Djokovic more often on all slams. He was losing and ducking Novak to save h2h. He didn't take a set on hard court for 10 years!! Nadal is clay beast, but average tennis player compared to Djokovic on hard courts and grass.
Надаль всегда цепляется бульдожьей хваткой, и если у противника не достанет хладнокровия и самообладания прикончить его, не дрогнув, Надаль доберется до глотки и задушит. Я видел такие матчи Медведева против Надаля, из свежих, в частности, в финале АО. Нужно абсолютно сверкать на корте, чтобы лишить Рафу всех иллюзий и шансов на сопротивление.
If Rafa still had that movement, It would be a much more interesting match up on hard/grass. Novak improved tremendously after that in pretty much everything( his backhand was already the best on tour, his serve was great but It's even way better now, his forehand got more accuracy, his net game is better), while on the other hand Rafa improved as well (forehand down the line, variety (net game, dropshots, serve & volley, slice), backhand down the line, serve). They improved everything, but Rafa had to cover up for the movement after 2012, nowadays he knows he can't outlast Novak from the baseline and his serve is not good enough to make free points against Novak, who has tremendous serve and return. So he's fucked outside of clay, appart from that Wimbledon 2018 match where he had to do everything perfect to just compete against Novak and give himself a chance to win . But when these 2 meet in grand slams, most of the time they are playing another sport than the rest.
clearly shows Djokovic could never dominate Prime Rafa. Once Rafa slowed down due to aging and Injury Novak started dominating old Fedal and a weak next gen era as he has a better physique
@@guruk you mean like the heart and resilience to come back on tour after 6 months out with knee surgery, play three 5 setters including a final against his nemesis Nadal, and come back from a break down in the 5th to lift the trophy?
Djokovic let that first set get away from him. He was up 3-0 with a break point for a double break, failed to convert, got broken back in the next game, dumped a backhand into the net (after a long rally) with Nadal serving at 4-5 and 30-30, having set point on his serve at 6-5 in that tie-break only to lose 3 points in a row to somehow lose the set! I'd say Djokovic had plenty of reason to be frustrated!!
Sadly this was the last match on grass for Nadal fans when they celebrated over All times Great Djokovic. It's 2023 and he is yet to win on grass.😢 15 years😢
I think his win over Federer that year had a lot to do with the effects of the beating he gave Federer at Roland Garros though he almost choked the match away when he let Fed come back to 2 sets all
I mean there’s no doubt that Rafa beating Novak here gave him a lot of confidence going into Wimbledon after. Not that Rafa didn’t have it already, but Rafa had lost the last 2 finals at Wimbledon against Fed, and let’s not forget, in 08, Novak had come off from winning his first slam beating a prime Fed in the semi final earlier that year at the AO, so maybe that also inspired Rafa and gave him confidence knowing that if Novak could beat prime Fed on another surface besides clay then why can’t I? but either way, most would agree that 08 Rafa was peak.
I think this was the last time nadal defeated on grass. And till 2010 djokovic still had not realized his potential. Since 2008 nadal has not defeated djokovic on grass.
Nadal in his prime was a dominant forve on grass after Federer.. Not only did he Win Queens Club Championship.. He played another final and a semi final here... while playing 2006, 2007, 2008(win), 2009(dropped due to injury), 2010(win) and 2011... Wimbledon finals in a Row.. While coming from winning the french open.... He is also a give time finalist on Wimbledon like Federer is 5 times finalist on Roland Garos . Difference is he has two trophies compared to Federer one and he defeated Federer to break his streak... While also having played two more quarterfinals(2012, 2015) and two nore semi finals at Wimbledon (2016, 2022).... He has won 4 Us open Titles(2010, 2013, 2017&2019)while defeating Djokovic twice in finals 10&13.. and also two Aus open 2009 & 2022 whike playing 2 semi finals dropping out of 2011 semi final due to injury and finals in 2012, 2014, 2017 & 2018....... while having a 3-1 lead against Federer in that grandslam.... Nadal's Career outside of Clay is Angre Agassi Entire Career.. while Pete Sampras Entire Career Nadal has replicated in only 1 event that is the French Open...... Yes He didn't win ATP finals... But he did win hard court Good medal Singles . And lead his country to victory a record 5 times in tennis World Cup Aka Davis Cup and is also the only man to win American Summer slam.. He has 484 wins on clay and 518 on hards.. Only man in tennis history to win 480+ matches on both Clay and Hard courts ...... During the PEAKS of federrer(2009) and murray(2012) and Djokovic(2011) in ((2008-2013))) Nadal came out winning 37 titles, 3 year end finishes as num 1 (08,10&13) , Olympic Gold MEDAL, 2 Davis Cups and 10 GS...He has the highest unbroken streak on any surface 81 on Clay .... and je has secong most GS 22, 2nd most masters 36 and 3rd most titles 92 while having lost 4-5 years of his career....how? He pulled out of 19 GS due to injury..do the math thats like 40000 points lost by default hence lower weeks as num 1 and has the least slam appearances amongst the big three 68 behind Nole 87 and federrer 95... Still he is where he is... The man is the most humble, the most athletic and has never broken a single racquet in his entire life..... I still do not understand why Fans of other players namely Federer and mostly Djokovic Insult him so much.. and say he chickens out from other surfaces whereas all top 8 players have it mandatory to participate in GS other than inhury.....and also Nadal has consistently remained in the top 10 for 900+ weeks more than anyone in tennis history...even in yop 5.. more than anyone in tennis history.........I do not understand why they insult him when Nadal and Djokovic are polar opposites Nadal leada 20-9 on Clay and Djokovic 20-7 on hards ..both winning 14 slams on their fav court only..... Please respect yhe efforts taht he has put in this game... Nadal is half of 2008 Wimbledon final and 2012 Aus open final .. if he wasn't there you would not have such a great match.. so stop insulting the man and admire th tennis in general... Happy Retirement Rafa ❤
I think it's fair to say that Novak only got the domination on grass when surface became relatively slower and it really turned out to be in his favor, vice versa for Nadal and Federer
Djokovic adapted his game , Federer didnt. Also Djokovic has won on all kinds of courts with varying CPIs , he is the only man to win the golden masters twice.
Djokovic became a dominant force on grass court not because the courts slow down (he loves fast courts see Australia, ATP finals etc..) but simply because he matured in 2011. Novak from 2007 until 2011 is a great player but not nearly as complete, mature and skilled as Novak from 2011 onwards
@@suhailmuhammad9994 Because Weakdal is a loser on grass, unable(or unwilling) to reach later stages of grass tournaments to get his a** whopped by Goatkovic time and time again 😂
If only rafa refined his tennis like novak, even rafa cudve prolonged his career. Unfortunately his game remained physical from the beginning to the likely end of his career. But still 22 GS and 2nd to THE ONE NOLE aint bad at all. 😇
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
Nadal beating Karlovic, Roddick, Djokovic to win grass court title the next week after RG victory is his most underrated achievement
2008 Nadal was a Monster :D
He went back2back2back on all surfaces.
Clay (Roland Garros) - Grass (Wimbledon) - Hard Court (Olympics)
@@Braselton21and Rogers cup also
@@Braselton21 and start of 2009 australian open that was insane run
Such beautiful ball striking, from both guys.
Those years were a golden era for tennis!🎉
Totally agree
djokovic lost footing so many times
Incredible to see how much better Djokovic is on pressure points now. When he had set point in the 1st set tiebreak you just see him nervously hitting it right back to Nadal with very little pace on it hoping his opponent messes up.
He’s a completely different player now. He digs deep and goes for it on the pressure points.
You're absolutely right about this one. Nowadays he has way more confidence, hitting the ball with a lot more power either it's a set/match point for him or his opponent. His developed his mental through the years, beyond it's limits.
I agree with what you're saying but there's something missing that would be in the mix as well. When you're playing Rafa, a version of him that's playing well, that increases the pressure. The last time they played we saw Djokovic make some risky shots that he might not have done otherwise and it didn't work out that particular time. And the last slam final they played it was the same story. Rafa played a great match for 1 and a half sets at a level that Djokovic admired surprised him, and that affects what you do as well. Can go different directions with that. Might not quite take your chances on one side or overdo it on the other.
@@sjjapplet us Rafa fans not become like Fed fans: always making excuses when another player is better than our idol. Whether we like it or not: Djok has topped Nadal. The good news is: Rafa has topped Feddie.
@@thisnamealsotaken I've actually defended all 3 in various ways at different points. What I actually like is a fair perspective and to give credit where it's due. I don't mind what if scenarios either.
Now his opponents choke instead. The mental toughness he's built over the years is unreal. One of a kind.
These dudes really battled for 59 times!! and it's only 30-29. You can't script that. Best rivalry imo. Better than Fedal. Two of the best players in history.
No, it isn't
be quiet. u didnt even mention the best rivalry in history. federer-djokovic.
@@h4rder10 yeah, yeah, of course 27-23 is better than 30-29
The Big 3 era of tennis will never be beaten. Sad that's it's almost coming to an end now, but I was happy to witness it as it happened.
Big 4. Andy
Now it's the era of the Big 1
@@peterfoley4864 All these ATP players (but also from the WTA) are so scared to speak up on the likely case that many or some ATP players have been Paid Off, Bribed, to lose to Novaq since 2022. Until the ATP, ITF AND others look deep into ALL top 100 ATP players' bank transactions, cell and computer (public computers, too)/tablet use, and pay phone, since 2022 through now, some players have been Bribed to lose to Novaq just so the White man advances on most records over Steffi, Serena and Margarette, and more majors than Rafael. Bigots and racists can say Rafael is White, but CASE HISTORY displays the Latino/Spanish name is hated in pop culture. COURT BIAS (bias and prejudice is the ONLY case for IF'S to work). The reason why most big tournaments are hardcourt every year is due to Western bias and prejudice. Many kids in most other places can only afford to train on dirt or clay. Had most big tournaments been played on clay every other year, Rafael would more-than-likely have 35 or so majors, many masters, more 500's and 250;s, and surely more Golds. His winning more of these tournaments on clay would have surely made him a better player on all surfaces. Novaq would have some 15 or so majors, and the rest of his records would be cut short. Rafael is GOAT by reasonable default. I don't know where Roger would be. THEY MUST CHECK ALL ATP 100 TOP PLAYERS' RECORDS as I mentioned above, until then many or some players have been Paid Off. These powers in tennis are human, prone to biases and prejudices as top executives in other sports: no one is special, no one is beyond questioning.
stop talking nonsense since 2011 only 1 man stands
@@anonymous_genius Big 3. Andy/Rafa/Fed
It's unbelievable how Djokovic came from his first slam in 2008 to still being the number 1 in the world in 2023. Alcaraz was just 5 years old. 😭🐐🇷🇸🏆
It's also unbelievable that Nadal won 2 Slams in 2022. Amazing longevity by both, but I think Novak's impressive fitness will allow him to remain in Slam-winning form till he's 40 years old, making him the tennis player with the superior longevity of all time.
@@jameswalker6864 Of course the Aus Open 2022 has the caveat of the favorite player, Djokovic, not being able to play, but even then Nadal made an impressive effort to beat all best hard court players, in a tournament where he had won only once before. In next year's French open, I can see him moving through quarterfinals for a great exit run, and Nole will play for the next 4 years to reach 28-30 Grand Slams, depending on Alcaraz' improvements over time.
@@shiftt. Don't forget Roland-Garros 2022 too, another special effort (and last hurrah?) by Nadal. I concur with your logico-methodological analysis. Novak will try his best to reach that "magical" number of 30 Slams to leave his reign with untouchable records for the future generations to come.
Rafa's movements were 100 times better than 2022. How in the world djoker has managed to keep his movements from 2008 intact even today? That's amazing level of fitness and work ethic
Truth, his movements may have dipped by 15-20% at max
Injury rafa....
Because he is much heavier and injury prone. I don't think Rafa works any less than the Djoker, but Djoker might work smarter and is genetically built for a longer career.
And a lot of injury is just bad luck or genetics - which none of us sadly have any control
We love to make things like a competition like one must be doing something better than the other. Don’t think it’s always the case
Novak is not even at 50% of his prime, yet he won more slams than 2012-14 combined.
TWO OF THE BEST. They are the the blueprint of today's players. Fast, athletic, can withstand extreme long rallies. They are monsters. Can't believe this was 15 years ago.
Yeah this is quality tennis.. no stupid nonsense shots, only smart, precise shots and very intense rallies..
Great level of play. Great hitting. Djokovic's movement on grass has vastly improved since 2008 which is insane considering his age
Not nearly as insane when you consider the consistently disappointing play of the younger generations.
@Maverick 85 Wrong. And your assumptions won't change how unreliable the up-and-comers in men's tennis have been for the last 5 - 7 years.
this is nole 1.0. it was the last time he lost to nadal on grass btw
@@nunomartins4265 And how many times have they played each other on grass, total?
@Maverick 85 That's completely irrelevant. My point had to do with the most recent generation because...wait for it...context. You've gone from an (incorrect) assumption to a non-sequitur. What's up next? Ad-hominem attacks?
Rafa was such a savage in 2008
the savage has been tamed by the beast
@@Kunal-vi4rjbeast of weak era djokovic 😂 you
can go back to watching cricket now
Can't believe this match was played 15 years ago, such an enjoyable one, a shame it didn't go to a 3rd set though.
To think that only 9 days prior to this match, Nadal and Djokovic battled each other in the French Open semis, it's been a privilege watching them battle each other 59 times over the years on all surfaces and in all of the biggest tournaments, hopefully we will get to watch one last battle #60 between them before one of them hangs up the racquet for good
What an armwrestle between the two with Nadal squeezing out the victory. There was no limit to Nadal's prowess and grittiness in the summer of '08. Sensational match, Kudos for extending the highlights already posted a few years ago!
young nadal was a BEAST .
They are the greatest rivals of all time in tennis history. ❤️
Nonsense only rivals on clay
@@fg92626 On clay, Nadal leads 20-8. On hard, Djokovic leads 20-7. Check facts!
@@DavidGao1988 10:0 outside clay since 2013 that is fact
@@fg92626 Hehe, the rivalry started at 2006! Won't blame you if you lost all your memories before 2013. Having selective memory is all you can do, and just knew you would replied something like this.
@@DavidGao1988 in 2011 Prime Nadal was sent to beatdown city in straight 6 major finals 2 on clay wimbledon and us open included but wait in 2012 AO final he got spanked too that is already 7. Don't call this rivalry 😂
The greatest rivalry in tennis!
22 vs 21 years old. What great tennis
Rafa is a phenomenal all-court player, anyone who says he is only good on clay is mad. Though he's not as strong as Djokovic on grass and hard courts consistently he's still absolutely top-tier.
It's wild how well Nole has been able to maintain his form as well so many years later. Hats off to both of these guys, the two greatest to ever do it and THE greatest rivalry in all of sports
That was the peak nadal you remember he destroyed federer in french final
He also went on to win wimbledon this year
Young Nadal was always the best player between Federer and Djokovic. Djokovic is better when everyone got older.
Somehow you missed the best shot of the match - uber forehand from Djokovic crosscourt
RG,Queens and Wimbledon...Rafa was on fire in 2008
Brother you forgot olympics gold.
Who knew in those days that they were watching two of the top 3 players in history.
I remember that era have new gen, they are Nadal, Murray, Djkovic and Gasguet. the competition was so top.
I did. At the time it was a new level and obvious they were about to dominate
@@roddlecoddle No, you didn't. No one believes you knew this about Djokovic in 2008. Federer and Nadal were obvious. There wasn't anyone else at the time. Knock off the nonsense.
@@bubufubu maybe not blind people like you but for those of us into tennis at the time Djokovic was obvious
@@roddlecoddle You're not a prognosticator. You didn't know a damn thing about Djokovic in 2008 except that he was nowhere near Federer's or Nadal's level. His breakout year didn't come until three years later. In 2008, it was Federer & Nadal...and everyone else. Period.
4:35 hearing cmoon from Novak feels like parallel reality
great final, love these guys. What a journey they have been on and its still going
Nadal won the French against Federer in the final... then Nadal beat Djokovic at the Queens final... then Nadal beat Federer at the Wimbledon final. Have to wonder how many players have ever won the French, Queens and Wimbledon all in a row in the same year. Can't be very many... And Rafa did it against the very best opponents in the game. It is probably one of the greatest achievements ever - winning those 3 titles back to back to back - against those opponents.
Don’t forget Olympic gold medal!
The greatest achievement ever is to have won the most grand slams ever. Or have been no1 for the most weeks. One of these two
@@drinkmilk007 drink Novak's milk :D
Lol at least you know who's boss
@@drinkmilk007yeah Fedal. novak no 3😂
Love this Djokovic form, best form pre 2011. Agressive, hitting with pace, nice flatter forehand and the serve didn't have that HORRIBLE form from 2009, 2010, very very good player already
Pretty good for a clay-court specialist.
This was when I started to think that both had potencial to surpass federer in grand slams
Yup incredible tennis. 22 and 21 hrs old only
Back in 2008, I only thought Nadal would surpass Federer. He'd beaten Federer at the French open final back to back and ended up beating Federer at Wimbledon and winning Olympic gold in Beijing (beating Djokovic in the semi finals coincidentally) Djokovic only had 1 grand slam winning in Australia earlier that year and was quite streaky
At this stage, Federer had 12 and was still in his peak. Novak had 1. I’m calling bullshit.
@@TaiAkinz but Novak was only 21. defeat Federer in 3 sets in the AO, and had a lot of consistency, 5 consecutive semis of slam at that moment, playing well in all surfaces
@@Luiz-nb3uz I get your point, but after winning in the Australian open in 2008, Djokovic didn't make a slam final till 2011. Nadal and Federer were still the top dogs till Djokovic elevated his level in 2011, 3 years from this match at Queen's club.
15 years later ...
Extremely missing this greatest rivalry of all time
Nadal then went on to play the greatest ever final at Wimbledon in his next tournament
2008, what a year for Nadal.
You can see why he beat Federer, on the strength of this performance.
Incredible volleys from a baseliner!
The goat broke prime Nadal soul in 2011 Wimbledon final
All things considered, his 32 match win streak (across three different surfaces) that year was/is absurd. _And_ he won Gold at the Olympics.
Nadal is goat
Que buen recuerdo, me había olvidado que nadal ganó queens ese año justo después le gana en otro partidazo a Roger en wimbledon 2008, y novak pierde ese mismo año queens y al año siguiente no lo juega por que cambio y juega halle y también pierde en la final con haas y después vemos que nole tiene 7 wimbledon a 1 de igualar al otro más grande roger federer increíble, después discutimos connlos chicos de hoy caso alcaraz son buenos jugadores probable que ganen grand.slam pero con estas bestias van a ser difícil de superar.y que lindo tenis se jugaba en ese tiempo ahora cambio un poco empezó de las pelotas y la velocidad de las canchas, buenísimo.
The guy playing against Nadal is quite good, he has the potential to win a few grandslams if he keeps his fitness intact and work on his mental stability.
👎
Gracias Rafa !
I hope Rafa recovers and they can have one last dance, no matter who wins. One last GS final, in any surface.
🙏🙏👍👍💯
sure both will play on clay because nadal cant reach latter stages on grass and hard enough
two young goats...🐐🐐
I legit like Novak's play style from these years more than today. Such a great attacking tennis.
Yup clearly more watchable
TBH, I didn't knew who Djokovic was in 2008 but as of today I am his fan
Only Nole remains 🐐🃏
your goat not ours
Man Federer and Nadal were admittedly lucky Novak didn't peak as early as Rafa did when he entered the scene aged 19 in 2005. Djokovic started to peak in 2011, aged 24, but he pretty much didn't leave room for any of them to succeed. The only exception is Nadal on clay, but even then, Djokovic's feats on clay since 2011 stomp 99.9% of players on clay.
Djokovic hits a huge forehand winner on 5-5 40-0 in the second set, which is missing from these highlights but should definitely have been included (other videos of this match have included that shot).
This is one of the best matches of Rafa and Novak. I think we needed more grass matches from 2010-2014. But Rafa just decided he wants to flop on grass in his prime days. He really played some great tennis on his hay days. Don't know what really happened.
*When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object*
*Greatest tennis rivalry ever!*
*59 matches*
*Nole🐐 30-29 Rafa🐐*
Djokovic serve improved so much!
Completely forgot about the red sponsorship before the fever tree and aegon blue took over
😂
It is interesting to consider how different narratives in tennis can influence players' achievements. There is a player, Nadal, who is considered one of the "best" in history, even though he has never won an ATP Finals tournament against the top eight players! If you are "the best," you should be able to defeat all the top eight players in a row. Nadal cannot do that, and therefore, he cannot be the best player!
However, this fact is often overlooked, despite the player winning the same tournament seven times. He achieved victories in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2022. This is what gives you trouble and sleepless nights. Additionally, he has won each Grand Slam tournament three times and all Masters 1000 tournaments twice, holding the record for the most titles on four different surfaces in a single year. That is truly remarkable! Furthermore, he has a positive record against his greatest rivals.
It is important to recognize that in tennis, the evaluation of a player's greatness is not solely based on victories against top players. It is also about acknowledging their dominance in other aspects of the sport. Winning and losing are part of the game, and to be successful, one must learn from defeats. It is regrettable that some mainstream media outlets attempt to diminish this player's achievements.
It is time to expand our perspective beyond traditional narratives and duly acknowledge this player's accomplishments and influence. It is an inspiring story for anyone striving for success, regardless of preconceived expectations. Let us appreciate this player's achievements and recognize the beauty of tennis in all its diversity.
IDEMO BREEE ❤
GOAT RAFA!
My first time Rafa winning against Djokovic on the grass court~Thank you for sharing a RARE video~~:)
It’s impossible that it's mature people behind these comments, each one fighting to say that such and such is the strongest and the best and making sure to belittle the other player. Life really does come down to this for some people!
different genetics, Rafa was physically a freak at this time, Djoko wasnt quite there yet before 2011 but he had other qualities
Both's dream was to win Wimbledon
1.0 version of Djokovic, almost no play at net and horrific drop shots.. Rafael Nadal is the one responsible for making Djoko to imorove those segments.
Drop shot ?? Ah it wasn't the time yet :)
Day 1 after Rafa's retirement. After watching videos like this one, it's when you start to feel the pain... Gosh, thanks for everything, Legend
Beautiful.
Djokovic got so many heartbreaking losses against Nadal, before he finally got the better of him in 2011!
In 2008 Nadal was at the peak of his clay court form. He swept Federer in the final of Roland Garros 2008 and entered the grass season with high confidence and won the 2008 Wimbledon and then the Beijing Olympics medal. Novak beat Rafa 3 times at masters tournaments on hard courts and won the 2008 Australian Open and the 2008 ATP Tour Finals as well. Novak's problems in 2009 and until the end of 2010 were problems with his fitness and his body. when he found a solution and changed his diet, we all know what happened
@@ahmedisa3723 the goat molested prime Nadal in 6 major finals in the row in 2011 and spanked him in 2021 AO final
@@ahmedisa3723 Just to add that he also switched rackets in 2009 from Wilson to Head.
2008 Nadal had amazing physical abilities and movements.
definitely one of his top 3 years I would say
This Nadal GOD mod 🔥
People who say Nadal isn’t good on grass started looking tennis in 2015. The 2008 rafa’s grass season is better than any season on grass of Djokovic
He's played really well again recently as well. He should’ve won wimbledon in 2018, had a really close match with Federer in 19, and was at least making the final last year had he not torn his abdomen
Man, stop your delusions. Novak destroyed Nadal in the 2011 Wimbledon final, and since then Novak caused Nadal a trauma, as he never reached the Wimbledon final after that
@@ahmedisa3723lol. Nadal played very few Wimbledons post that. And they only met once after that and it was a close 5 setter which went novaks way
@@omairkazi3994 he escaped from the goat in 2022 wimbledon to prevent h2h
@@ahmedisa3723 the goat broke his soul in 2011WB final
young Rafa was probably the best tennis player ever but that did not last long , in year of 2011 Novak decided to take his legs and his soul ...
2011 Nole is just a terminator. He just outperforms everyone that year. Not to mention he even had a greater year in 2015, which imo the best season ever by a player
and then rafa took out his soul in 2012-2013
@@mysticnomad89 🤫
@@ALLNAMESAREALLREADYT Fedal Goat 🐐 novax no 3 🤫🤫
in hard court djoker dominates and in clay rafa dominates djoker grass is the where they evenly match 2018 wimbledon was the best version of them i have ever seen
they are 2 vs 2 because nadal fails to play djokovic more often since 2011 on grass, until 2018. Only one match in more than 12 years. Nadal disasters defeats between 2012 and 2017, he avoids to play djokovic on wimbledon.
Rafa on grass 😇 2012 to 2017 dude wasnt even reaching 3rd round
@@guruk yes that was i pointing,
one of Nadal's wins is in best of 3 though and his other was via retirement at 1 set all and a break for Nadal, so I'd still say Djokovic has the edge. That wimbledon match in 2007 was early on as well for Djokovic, he might have not broken the top 3 yet. Shame they didn't play more times at Wimbledon.
@@DanteDiCarloMusic nadal fails to soon since 2012 to 2017 he did not reach qf and lose to players ranked outside of 100.
Imagine how big this match was by comparing it with today's context. Nowadays, next-gen players are very slow to adapt to grass courts after a long clay season. Especially, if a top-10 player makes a deep run at Roland Garros, they most likely skip the pre-Wimbledon tournaments to have a good Wimbledon. But there they were, 2 giants of the game; only 22 and 21 years of age; having met in the semi finals of Roland Garros just 2 weeks earlier, meeting again in a grass court final. One to also become a Wimbledon champion within a fortnight at the mere age of 22. We witnessed the greatest era of tennis, and it is not going to come back.
Truth and that 2008 clay used to be slow as hell.
It was probably just 9 days earlier back then, not even 2 weeks.
I said it before and I'll say it again: Tennis is life!
Although this was the expected result at the time, looking back at Rafa beating Novak on grass is wild
I mean, he should’ve beat him in 2018 he had the chance, they’ve always been pretty close on grass when they play
@@duncan3932Djokovic was not at his best at 2018. He was yet to come back fully from elbow injury...at 2011 he destroyed Nadal.
@@RallyVozac 2011 was four sets, and one of Novak’s best ever years
@@RallyVozac Nadal was not at his best in 2018 either, he was coming from an almost 5 hour QF, as well the match with Djokovic was indoors, which is an advantage for Djokovic.
@@Omkar529 If Nadal was any good, he would reach Djokovic more often on all slams. He was losing and ducking Novak to save h2h. He didn't take a set on hard court for 10 years!! Nadal is clay beast, but average tennis player compared to Djokovic on hard courts and grass.
That was intense
Надаль всегда цепляется бульдожьей хваткой, и если у противника не достанет хладнокровия и самообладания прикончить его, не дрогнув, Надаль доберется до глотки и задушит. Я видел такие матчи Медведева против Надаля, из свежих, в частности, в финале АО. Нужно абсолютно сверкать на корте, чтобы лишить Рафу всех иллюзий и шансов на сопротивление.
If Rafa still had that movement, It would be a much more interesting match up on hard/grass.
Novak improved tremendously after that in pretty much everything( his backhand was already the best on tour, his serve was great but It's even way better now, his forehand got more accuracy, his net game is better), while on the other hand Rafa improved as well (forehand down the line, variety (net game, dropshots, serve & volley, slice), backhand down the line, serve). They improved everything, but Rafa had to cover up for the movement after 2012, nowadays he knows he can't outlast Novak from the baseline and his serve is not good enough to make free points against Novak, who has tremendous serve and return. So he's fucked outside of clay, appart from that Wimbledon 2018 match where he had to do everything perfect to just compete against Novak and give himself a chance to win .
But when these 2 meet in grand slams, most of the time they are playing another sport than the rest.
nadal breaking djokos ankles
Then nole went on to break every part of rafa's body 😂
Rafa Has a more powerful forehand 🔥🇪🇦😎
clearly shows Djokovic could never dominate Prime Rafa. Once Rafa slowed down due to aging and Injury
Novak started dominating old Fedal and a weak next gen era as he has a better physique
Lolllll
Or once djokovic fixed his diet
No matter whose side you're on, we can agree that this tennis pales in comparison to prime Federer
In terms of aesthetics yes but in terms of heart and resilience, thank God the snowflake is gone. 🤷♂️
@@guruk you mean like the heart and resilience to come back on tour after 6 months out with knee surgery, play three 5 setters including a final against his nemesis Nadal, and come back from a break down in the 5th to lift the trophy?
Prime Federer could bagel weak era champ effortless in grass surfaces
Prime Federer got bageled by Huby Hurkacz 😂😂😂
@@fg92626 Imagine calling 2021 Federer with knee injury as "prime" 😂
Omkar exactly
@@Omkar529 It was literally his last ever match 😂
haha mr. 40-15? 🤣 hilarious
Novak getting frustrated after 1st set and Nadal not getting so tells a lot about them.
Djokovic let that first set get away from him.
He was up 3-0 with a break point for a double break, failed to convert, got broken back in the next game, dumped a backhand into the net (after a long rally) with Nadal serving at 4-5 and 30-30, having set point on his serve at 6-5 in that tie-break only to lose 3 points in a row to somehow lose the set!
I'd say Djokovic had plenty of reason to be frustrated!!
Rafa is something else
Back when Rafa had a full head of hair and his full mobility
Okay, now you're just spoiling us.
Sadly this was the last match on grass for Nadal fans when they celebrated over All times Great Djokovic. It's 2023 and he is yet to win on grass.😢
15 years😢
Sounds bad but they've only played 2 matches on grass in that 15 years so it's actually not like he's been trying solidly for 15 years
Nadal and Djokovic have only played 4 matches on grass (2-2).
Back when Rafa could beat Roger and Novak on grass. Never beat either of them ever again since then.
What about Wimbledon va Fed?
I think his win over Federer that year had a lot to do with the effects of the beating he gave Federer at Roland Garros though he almost choked the match away when he let Fed come back to 2 sets all
I mean there’s no doubt that Rafa beating Novak here gave him a lot of confidence going into Wimbledon after. Not that Rafa didn’t have it already, but Rafa had lost the last 2 finals at Wimbledon against Fed, and let’s not forget, in 08, Novak had come off from winning his first slam beating a prime Fed in the semi final earlier that year at the AO, so maybe that also inspired Rafa and gave him confidence knowing that if Novak could beat prime Fed on another surface besides clay then why can’t I? but either way, most would agree that 08 Rafa was peak.
I think this was the last time nadal defeated on grass. And till 2010 djokovic still had not realized his potential. Since 2008 nadal has not defeated djokovic on grass.
Nole fans ready to degrade rafa achievement by saying last time
They only played 2011 ,18 in grass after this match .. Djokovic is lucky that he didn't met 2008,10 ,2017 rafa in Wimbledon
Nadal in his prime was a dominant forve on grass after Federer.. Not only did he Win Queens Club Championship.. He played another final and a semi final here... while playing 2006, 2007, 2008(win), 2009(dropped due to injury), 2010(win) and 2011... Wimbledon finals in a Row.. While coming from winning the french open.... He is also a give time finalist on Wimbledon like Federer is 5 times finalist on Roland Garos . Difference is he has two trophies compared to Federer one and he defeated Federer to break his streak... While also having played two more quarterfinals(2012, 2015) and two nore semi finals at Wimbledon (2016, 2022).... He has won 4 Us open Titles(2010, 2013, 2017&2019)while defeating Djokovic twice in finals 10&13.. and also two Aus open 2009 & 2022 whike playing 2 semi finals dropping out of 2011 semi final due to injury and finals in 2012, 2014, 2017 & 2018....... while having a 3-1 lead against Federer in that grandslam.... Nadal's Career outside of Clay is Angre Agassi Entire Career.. while Pete Sampras Entire Career Nadal has replicated in only 1 event that is the French Open......
Yes He didn't win ATP finals... But he did win hard court Good medal Singles . And lead his country to victory a record 5 times in tennis World Cup Aka Davis Cup and is also the only man to win American Summer slam.. He has 484 wins on clay and 518 on hards.. Only man in tennis history to win 480+ matches on both Clay and Hard courts ...... During the PEAKS of federrer(2009) and murray(2012) and Djokovic(2011) in ((2008-2013))) Nadal came out winning 37 titles, 3 year end finishes as num 1 (08,10&13) , Olympic Gold MEDAL, 2 Davis Cups and 10 GS...He has the highest unbroken streak on any surface 81 on Clay .... and je has secong most GS 22, 2nd most masters 36 and 3rd most titles 92 while having lost 4-5 years of his career....how? He pulled out of 19 GS due to injury..do the math thats like 40000 points lost by default hence lower weeks as num 1 and has the least slam appearances amongst the big three 68 behind Nole 87 and federrer 95... Still he is where he is... The man is the most humble, the most athletic and has never broken a single racquet in his entire life.....
I still do not understand why Fans of other players namely Federer and mostly Djokovic Insult him so much.. and say he chickens out from other surfaces whereas all top 8 players have it mandatory to participate in GS other than inhury.....and also Nadal has consistently remained in the top 10 for 900+ weeks more than anyone in tennis history...even in yop 5.. more than anyone in tennis history.........I do not understand why they insult him when Nadal and Djokovic are polar opposites Nadal leada 20-9 on Clay and Djokovic 20-7 on hards ..both winning 14 slams on their fav court only.....
Please respect yhe efforts taht he has put in this game... Nadal is half of 2008 Wimbledon final and 2012 Aus open final .. if he wasn't there you would not have such a great match.. so stop insulting the man and admire th tennis in general...
Happy Retirement Rafa ❤
last time nadal beat nole on grass btw
Had Nadal not been with Muller Weiss Syndrome since age of 19, he would have conquered everything by now
How in the world Adidas and Wilson let Djokovic go?
This djokovic was out of this world
Ese Nadal era imbatible 🎾🎾🎾🎾💯💯💯💯💯
I think it's fair to say that Novak only got the domination on grass when surface became relatively slower and it really turned out to be in his favor, vice versa for Nadal and Federer
Exactly, Federer was a god when when grass was fast and then Novak took over when they slowed it down
Nah. Slower grass courts favour Nadal
Djokovic adapted his game , Federer didnt. Also Djokovic has won on all kinds of courts with varying CPIs , he is the only man to win the golden masters twice.
@@john_doe_2231You gotta agree that Djokovic benefited from slower courts
Djokovic became a dominant force on grass court not because the courts slow down (he loves fast courts see Australia, ATP finals etc..) but simply because he matured in 2011. Novak from 2007 until 2011 is a great player but not nearly as complete, mature and skilled as Novak from 2011 onwards
Nadal best
Nadal is a top player on grass, his achievements are just overshadowed by his achievements on clay and the other 2's on grass
Djokovic forehand wasn’t very good then so wasn’t Nadal backhand
bullshit
Rafael ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Better than Alcaraz Sinner?
Djokovic GOAT? Lmao, the guy was getting beaten black and blue round the globe back when Nadal was primed up and in his 20s.
Both Nadal and Djokovic are almost the same age LOL
Xd casual
@@jollyjames30 that age excuses are nonsense and bull shit. Anyone who has intelligence would know that Nadal and Djokovic’s bodies are not the same
This was the last time Nadal beat Djokovic on Grass... back in 2008 😮
Ty??? Only played 2 times after that. 2011 and 2018 Wimbledon.
Yeah. But they only played 2 more times, right?
@@suhailmuhammad9994 so what he whacked Nadal on rg twice. What makes you think he wouldn't destroy Nadal on grass???
@@suhailmuhammad9994 Because Weakdal is a loser on grass, unable(or unwilling) to reach later stages of grass tournaments to get his a** whopped by Goatkovic time and time again 😂
@@Aman-nk5uq so where is the mistake?
For those belittling Alcaraz's performance at 20, just see how weak djoker was mentally at 21!
and they say novak is arrogant nadal was arrogant af in this match like he thinks he s something more pathetic anglo-saxons
Prime Nadal leagues beyond djokovic
If only rafa refined his tennis like novak, even rafa cudve prolonged his career. Unfortunately his game remained physical from the beginning to the likely end of his career. But still 22 GS and 2nd to THE ONE NOLE aint bad at all. 😇
Novak had everything to win that match...
I wonder why nadal didnt play halle in 2008, he could have also defeated federer there.
No way in Halle as the conditions are more in Federer favour