"These things happen even to the best players, I don't say I have been destroyed" - When Rafael Nadal reflected on loss to Djokovic at Australian Open
Back in 2019, Rafael Nadal candidly discussed his loss to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, saying that he didn't feel "destroyed" by the outcome.
Nadal progressed to the final in Melbourne that year with a commanding 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semis. However, he was unable to replicate his performance in the title clash against Djokovic. The Serb dominated the final, outplaying his opponent to claim a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory and clinch his seventh Australian Open title.
In his post-match press conference, Rafael Nadal addressed Tsitsipas' sentiments about feeling 'destroyed' by him in their semifinal clash. The Spaniard said Tsitsipas might have felt that way due to his relative newness in the sport, unaware that even the best players in history experience such losses.
Drawing from his own vast experience in the sport, Nadal asserted that he wouldn't characterize his loss to Djokovic as being 'destroyed.' The Spaniard also said he had faced an opponent performing at the highest possible level.
"Yeah, but Stefanos is so young. He don't have been destroyed enough times to know that that can happen on a tennis court. I am not new on this. I know these kind of things happens," he said.
"Even to the best players of the history happened. I don't say I have been destroyed. I have been playing against a player that was at the highest level possible, in my opinion, tonight. A player playing like this is difficult to win," he added.
Nadal admitted that the Serb had outperformed him in the final, leaving no room for complaints.
"He (Novak Djokovic) was better than me tonight. That's the sport. We can talk a lot, but when the player did almost everything better than you, you can't complain much. The only thing that you can say is congrats to the opponent, well done," he said.
Despite the loss, the Spaniard found encouragement in reaching the Australian Open final. Although he acknowledged his unpreparedness to face Djokovic's level, he expressed optimism about reaching that level in the coming months.
"If we analyze all this stuff, have been probably better impossible two weeks for me, even if tonight was not my day, because the opponent played too good, and I was not ready to face that level tonight," he said.
"But I believe that I can be ready in a couple of months if I am able to keep practicing and to keep competing at that level," he added.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have met twice at the Australian Open
Rafael Nadal enjoys an 11-7 record against Novak Djokovic at Grand Slam tournaments. However, the Serb has emerged victorious in both of their clashes at the Australian Open.
The duo first locked horns in the 2012 Australian Open final. After a five-hour and 53-minute battle, the longest Grand Slam final in history, Djokovic narrowly edged past the Spaniard 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 to claim his fifth title at the Melbourne Slam.
He also triumphed over Nadal in the 2019 final, securing a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory. This win marked the Serb's 15th Major title, surpassing Pete Sampras on the all-time Slam leaderboard.