Saturday, October 19 may very well turn out to be the day that no tennis fan would ever forget as two stalwarts of the sport - Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic prepare to take on each other for possibly one last time on the court.
The Six Kings Slam started on a disappointing note for the hardcore Nadal and Djokovic fans on Thursday after both icons lost their respective semifinals.
While Nadal lost 6-3, 6-3 to compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic went down fighting to Jannik Sinner in an engaging contest 2-6, 7-6, 6-4. Nadal gave his all on the court and was competitive as he has been throughout his playing career but his compatriot was just too strong on the day.
However, despite the loss, Nadal looked very positive and lauded Alcaraz for delivering a solid performance in Saudi Arabia.
"I have the Davis Cup in front (of me) in a month so every day is an opportunity to be better and better and be ready for this final tournament of my tennis career," Nadal was quoted as saying by Associated Press. "I want to try my best to be ready for that and help the team in some way."
"Carlos was too good. I haven't been on the competitive stage since a couple months ago," Nadal added. "So yeah I think it was a good performance, even if it was not enough to play against an animal like him. But it was a positive match for me and I'm happy."
On the other hand, Djokovic mentioned that he was behind the eight ball against Sinner and called himself "lucky" to win the second set.
“I was on the ropes the entire match,” said Djokovic. “He was the better player. I was just lucky to get through the second set. In the third, I had some chances when I broke his serve at 4-3.
“The noise was amazing in the stadium. It was fun. I really enjoyed playing here in Saudi in December. Last year I played for the first time with (Carlos) Alcaraz, and it was a great atmosphere. Now, again, so I’m looking forward to coming out in two days as well.”
Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic Six Kings Slam Live Streaming
The Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic match at the Six Kings Slam will get underway at 10 PM IST on Saturday (October 19). There is no live broadcast of the game available in India but tennis fans can watch the live streaming on DAZN's website.
Fans can sign up for free on the platform and watch Nadal play Djokovic in a competitive match for one last time.
