Nadal's Candid Admission: Djokovic's Three Grand Slam Triumphs Were Unexpected

• Tennis

Rafael Nadal, who has been sidelined due to injury since the Australian Open, recently expressed his surprise at Novak Djokovic's remarkable achievements in the current season. The Spaniard openly admitted that Djokovic's triumphant victories at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and the US Open left him taken aback.

Nadal's astonishment at Djokovic's success was particularly notable given his own impressive Grand Slam record. The seasoned tennis champion is known for his dominance on the clay courts at Roland Garros, and he expected a closer contest during the Grand Slam in Paris.

Nadal went on to reveal his belief that young talent Carlos Alcaraz could have posed a formidable challenge to Djokovic in the semifinals had it not been for severe cramps induced by stress and nervousness during the match.

This candid insight from Nadal highlights the fierce competition and unpredictability that characterizes the world of professional tennis. Even as he faced his own setbacks, Nadal remains a keen observer of the sport, acknowledging the rising stars like Alcaraz who are poised to shape the future of tennis.

Rafa Nadal: I think there are other players with a high level like Jannik Sinner. There is also Holger Rune

"We all know that Djokovic is who he is and that he has achieved something historic, something that has never been achieved before, and I can only congratulate him.

I imagined that Djokovic would win a Grand Slam, but I did not expect that he would win three, because I think there is another young generation that is very powerful. I think Carlos had a great opportunity at Roland Garros to prevent Djokovic from winning three titles, but unfortunately what happened to him physically.

Later he made up for it and achieved something historic for our sport at Wimbledon, for which I am happy" - said Nadal. He believes that Alcaraz is not the only tennis player who can match the winner of 24 Grand Slam trophies.

"I believe that Carlos is superior to the others and the reality is that Novak has enormous merit and we must congratulate him on everything he does. Like I said before, it's something that's never been done before. I think there are other players with a high level like Janik Siner. There is also Holger Rune, who started well, but now has slightly weaker results" - concluded Nadal.