Novak Djokovic: 'I will never be close friends with Nadal'

In an interview with Corriere Della Sera, Djokovic said becoming friends with Nadal is "impossible" because they have been fierce rivals for many years: "Nadal is just one year older than me, and we are both Geminis. At first, we even had dinner together a few times. But even so, a real friendship between us could not form," Djokovic said.

He continued: "I always respect and admire him. Thanks to Nadal and Federer, I have grown and become who I am today. That connection binds us forever, and I feel grateful to them for it. Nadal has been part of my life for 15 years; I have seen him even more than my own mother!"

Although he affirmed that their relationship cannot be friendship, Djokovic also made clear they have never been enemies: "Between rivals, friendship is impossible, but we have never viewed each other as enemies."

In another event, Djokovic recently suffered a big disappointment at the Shanghai Masters when he lost to Valentin Vacherot in the semifinals while dealing with a back problem.

During the match, the Serbian legend often showed pain and lost his composure, even hitting the ball hard in frustration. Despite receiving medical treatment during the match, he lost the first set 3-6 and then fell 4-6 in the second set.

After the win, Vacherot did not celebrate excessively, showing respect for his injured opponent. The two players shared a touching moment shaking hands at the net.

After the match, Vacherot told Sky Sports: "I don't know what to say, this is crazy. Just standing across the net facing Djokovic was an incredible experience. I learned a lot from this match. He is a legend admired worldwide and almost overshadowed by the massive list of titles he has earned."