Novak Djokovic sends message to Rafael Nadal on his birthday with special photo of their meeting

June 3, 2025

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Novak Djokovic recently shared a special wish for Rafael Nadal on his birthday in the latest post. The Spaniard turned 39 on June 3, 2025.

Djokovic is currently competing at the 2025 French Open, where he has delivered stunning performances to reach the quarterfinal after besting Cameron Norrie in the fourth round with a score of 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. The Serb advanced to the quarterfinal round, where he will face Alexander Zverev on June 3.

While Djokovic is gearing up to compete in the tournament’s next round, he shared a special wish for the former tennis player and his arch-rival on the tennis court, Rafael Nadal, on his birthday. The Serb shared a picture of them from the Laver Cup 2022 event, which was Roger Federer’s last tournament. Both the players were seen rocking a black tuxedo in the picture, as Djokovic wrote in the caption:

"Happy birthday @rafaelnadal💪🥳"

Djokovic started his 2025 season by competing in the Brisbane International, where he couldn't advance further than the quarterfinal round. Here, he squared off against Reilly Opelka, who dominated the match with a score of 7-6(6), 6-3 and advanced to the semi-finals, bringing the Serb's journey to an end.

Novak Djokovic opened up about Roger Federer and Andy Murray joining him at Rafael Nadal's French Open tribute

Rafael Nadal was recently given an honorable tribute at the French Open 2025, which was attended by Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer as well. This was an emotional reunion of the Big Four, as they were last seen together during the 2022 Laver Cup.

In an interview with Lematin, after his Geneva Open campaign, Djokovic called the reunion special and said:

"It will be a very special, very emotional moment for everyone. Along with Federer and Murray, we will be there for the ceremony. It will be a beautiful moment."

He further spoke about how he felt after Nadal's retirement following the 2024 Davis Cup Finals. Stating that a part of his motivation left with the Spaniard, Djokovic added:

"Yes, it was hard to stay motivated without him (Nadal). Honestly, I didn't think it would be like this. A part of me left with him and it was a challenge to get my motivation back. Luckily, there are other things that give me inspiration.

"When Rafa quit, I felt something I'd never felt before. I thought, 'What do I do now?' There was a bit of that, especially on the court where I felt flat. Off the court, I feel like it didn't impact me in the same way. But after six months, I think I can say it's better."

Novak Djokovic is currently aiming to win his 25th Grand Slam title at the 2025 French Open.

About the author

An English Honors graduate, Nancy is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering US Olympic sports. She has a total experience of 4 years, having previously worked as a Marketing Executive for BYJU’S before finding her footing at SK.

To deliver the best content, Nancy keeps herself updated by reading as much as possible about the athletes and the sport, and believes that researching and trusting credible sources is the key to reporting ethical and accurate information.

Track and Field events particularly interest Nancy, and she is a fan of Allyson Felix. While she cherished each of her victories, her favorite Olympic moment happens to be the retired athlete’s 10th medal at the Games.

Nancy believes that covering the personal lives and training sessions of the Olympic athletes, and showcasing old podcasts or interviews would help bridge the coverage gap of the sport in its off season.

When away from her keyboard, Nancy spends most of her free time reading books. She also writes poems and plans on publishing a book.

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