Rafael Nadal has admitted he feels Novak Djokovic is still playing tennis because of his monstrous mentality, with the Serb set to lock horns with Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s Australian Open final.
Djokovic, at the age of 38, overcame Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller on Friday to book his place in the last round.
The tennis legend has won 24 Grand Slams, but victory over Alcaraz on Sunday would move him ahead of Margaret Court in the history books.
Nadal, who will attend the showdown at the Rod Laver Arena, admits that Alcaraz is the favourite.
The 22-year-old, who is world No 1, battled his way past Alexander Zverev on Friday to reach yet another final of a major tournament.
Nadal said: “I think the favourite is Carlos. He’s young, he has the energy and he’s in his prime. But I mean, Novak is Novak. He’s a very special player.
“I don’t know if Novak has lost a final here. It’s always a challenge and he likes the challenges.
Novak Djokovic is just one victory away from an 11th Australian Open title | GETTY
“(But) favourite is Carlos from my point of view.”
In a separate interview, Nadal then hailed Djokovic’s mentality – suggesting the veteran is still going strong because he possesses ‘resilience’ that sets him apart from others.
“I really believe that he is here for one simple reason – because if I don’t get injured, probably I will be here playing too,” he continued.
Five facts for tennis fans | GETTY/PA
“When you like to do this thing, if you are not injured and if you are not super tired mentally, why wouldn’t you be here?
“I think it’s a positive example of commitment, of resilience.
“I mean, Novak, for obvious reasons, he’s not at his prime, but he is still very, very competitive at an age that is difficult to be very competitive. So full respect.”
Should Djokovic beat Alcaraz on Sunday, he’ll become the oldest player in Australian Open history to go all the way.
Some have dismissed the Serb as a faded force, with his last Grand Slam triumph coming at the US Open in 2023.
However, speaking after his win over Sinner, Djokovic was keen to remind his critics what he’s still got what it takes to shine on the biggest stage.
Carlos Alcaraz will do battle with Novak Djokovic on Sunday
| REUTERS
“I never stopped doubting,” he said.
“I never stopped believing in myself. There’s a lot of people that doubt me.
“I see there is a lot of experts all of a sudden that wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years.
“I want to thank them all because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong.”
Djokovic has won five of his nine previous meetings with Alcaraz.
However, the Spaniard’s youth makes him the favourite for Sunday’s showpiece event.
