“When you play Rafael Nadal, you expect toughest challenge” – When Novak Djokovic responded to Spaniard preferring ‘easier’ Monte-Carlo final opponent

In the 2013 Monte-Carlo Masters final, Novak Djokovic once expressed his view on Rafael Nadal choosing a ‘less challenging’ opponent over him.

In 2013, Nadal, who had won the Monte-Carlo Masters title for eight consecutive years, put himself in a favorable position to potentially secure his ninth consecutive victory. This set the stage for an epic final against Djokovic.

Despite his admission that he would have preferred a less challenging opponent, the Spaniard expressed reluctance to face the top players, such as the Serb, in the final.

“No. I am not this kind of players that they are stupid and say, No, I want to play against the best. No, I don’t want. I want to play against another opponent that is easier (smiling),”he said in a press conference after his semifinal win.

“I play against Djokovic, so I going to try my best to play my best match and try to give me a chance to win the final. But is not the perfect opponent,”he added.

Novak Djokovic responded to Rafael Nadal’s comments following his victory in the semifinals, echoing the same sentiment about expecting a tough match and highlighting the consistently challenging nature of facing Nadal on clay.

Despite this, the Serb remained determined to take on the challenge and declared that his confidence had only increased with each match he played at the Masters 1000 event.

“Well, look, you know, whenever you play Rafa, you know what to expect. You expect the toughest challenge possible on clay,”the Serb said in his post-match press conference.

“I’m ready for that. You know, I was focusing only on the next challenge, on the next day. I’m very happy that physically, mentally, emotionally I have been improving as the tournament was going. Each day I feel better on the court, more confident,”he added.

Rivalry Renewed: Djokovic and Nadal Set to Battle for Tennis Supremacy

In order to defeat Rafael Nadal in the Monte-Carlo Masters final, Novak Djokovic acknowledged that he would need to perform at his highest level.

“Of course, I will have to be on top of my game I will have to be focused and motivated from the start to the end in order to have any chance of winning against Nadal,”he said during the same press conference.

Despite recognizing his vast experience of competing against the Spaniard on clay, the Serb emphasized the difficulty of achieving victory against Nadal.

“I know. I played him so many times on I clay. I know what I need to do. Of course, it’s easier said than done. But we can expect a good match,”he added.

Despite Nadal’s 46-match win streak at the tournament, Djokovic emerged victorious in the final, securing his first Monte-Carlo Masters title with a 6-2, 7-6(1) win over the Spaniard.