Nadal: "Djokovic's behavior doesn't surprise me, he is a great example for everyone, and I will be happy if he wins"

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Great excitement has been unleashed in Melbourne to see Rafael Nadal returning to a tournament where he made history. The Spaniard was honored at the 2026 Australian Open facilities, receiving a personalized Kia car adorned with images of some of his achievements. He took the opportunity to answer questions from the media present there.

There was much to talk about after a historic day for tennis like the one experienced on Friday at the 2026 Australian Open, with the semifinals for men. Rafael Nadal admitted to having watched Carlos Alcaraz's match in its entirety, whereas he only caught part of Novak Djokovic's due to his travel schedule. Nevertheless, he expressed admiration towards both players in statements captured by Sportklub.

Here's what Nadal said in his analysis of the 2026 Australian Open

Assessment of the semifinals and expectations for the final

"It was a great day for all fans, myself included. One of those days that creates lasting memories. I love watching matches like these, witnessing how people engage with spectacular battles like the ones we had yesterday. Carlos' match had it all, really. I am eagerly looking forward to a great final and would love to enjoy a good tennis match between them," he mentioned.

"Honestly, I have mixed feelings because my history with Novak is spectacular. We competed at the highest level for many years, and I wish him the best. Sincerely, if he were to win, I would be very happy for him. But, on the other hand, Carlos is my compatriot, and we have shared important moments in the Olympics, so I have to support him. In any case, there won't be any drama for me no matter the outcome," the Spanish player assured.

Impressions on Carlos Alcaraz

"He is a real professional, has a very good team behind him, and he has not asked me for advice because he really doesn't need it," he said before assessing the comments by the Murcian, ensuring that he would draw inspiration from Nadal's recovery in 2009. "Well, if you ask him about such things, he has to reply. Everyone follows their path; he was very young when that happened, and he probably was hardly aware of what was going on. I am convinced that he will recover well, having the advantage of age over Novak, he will do very well," he stated.

Emotional words regarding Djokovic

"I am not surprised to see Novak in the final. Why not? I would also be competing if it wasn't for injuries. If you are not tired of everything that tennis entails, you can continue. It is very positive for our sport that he remains active and can compete on equal terms with young players. He may not be at his best moment, but he still has everything necessary to achieve great success. He deserves much respect; I consider Novak a great example for everyone in terms of resilience and commitment," stated Nadal.

Impact of this defeat on Sinner

"It must have been difficult for Jannik to accept this defeat because he was the favorite, but he must understand that he faced a player with a special and unique trajectory in this tournament. He had opportunities that he couldn't capitalize on, and in the fifth set, things changed; the trend was clearly in Novak's favor. You learn from everything, and he is a very humble guy with great self-criticism. I am sure he will pay great attention to what happened to prevent it from reoccurring," commented Rafael Nadal, who will be present at the 2026 Australian Open men's final this Sunday.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nadal: "No me sorprende lo de Djokovic, es un gran ejemplo para todos y me alegraré si gana"