Nadal vs Djokovic LIVE!
Novak Djokovic spoilt the Rafael Nadal retirement party by beating the Spaniard in straight sets in their Six Kings Slam third-place match. The Riyadh exhibition played host to potentially Nadal’s last ever singles match and his final ever game against longtime rival Djokovic, who won the match 6-2, 7-6.
Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya suggested his player was suffering from nerves in the first set, which Djokovic won 6-2. But Nadal showed some of his best tennis in the second set which he took to a tie break, giving the crowd some great moments with his signature forehand strikes. But eventually Djokovic proved too much for Nadal.
Next up we have another high-profile showdown between reigning world No1 Jannik Sinner and No2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who square off in the final for the chance to pocket a record prize of $6million (£4.6m). Follow the exciting conclusion to the Six Kings Slam with our dedicated LIVE blog below!
Six Kings Slam tennis latest news
Djokovic beats Nadal 6-2, 7-6 in third-place match
Djokovic hails Nadal’s ‘legacy’
Nadal: Djokovic made me the player I am
How to watch: DAZN or Sky Sports
Sinner now meets Alcaraz in blockbuster Riyadh final
Nadal will miss ‘everything’
19:37 , Jamie Dickenson
When asked what he will miss most in retirement, Rafael Nadal said: “Almost everything.
“It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years being competitive, having the chance to play in the best places in the world, which I watched on TV as a kid.
“I cannot thank enough the support and love I have received all around. There was an amazing journey every single tournament over the years.
“I feel very fortunate to be a tennis player.”
Nadal thanks Djokovic for pushing him
19:29 , Jamie Dickenson
“Novak, you helped me go over my limits for 15 years,” Nadal said.
“I will probably not be the player I am [without you].
“I wish you the best of luck for the future.”
Djokovic hails Nadal’s ‘legacy’
19:27 , Jamie Dickenson
Novak Djokovic paid tribute to Rafael Nadal after beating him in their final match to seal third place at the Six Kings Slam.
“I don’t know where to start with Rafa,” Djokovic said. “An amazing career. I could speak all night. It has been an honour to share the court with you.
“I go back to the very first match we played and who would know we would be standing here almost 20 years later, playing 60 times.
“I have the utmost respect for you. Incredible athlete, incredible person.
“The rivalry has been incredible, very intense, so I hope we will have the chance to sit on the bench somewhere, have a drink and reflect.
“I know how much sacrifice [there has been]. It is an emotional day, so don’t leave tennis, man! Stay with us! You have left an amazing legacy.”
Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6 in Six Kings Slam
19:26 , Jamie Dickenson
The two players share a warm embrace after Novak Djokovic won the tie-breaker 7-5 in the final match the two will ever play.
It may even be Nadal’s final ever singles match, we will find that out next month at the Davis Cup.
We had a few vintage moments from Rafa tonight but Djokovic was just too strong in the end.
GAME, SET, MATCH DJOKOVIC! Djokovic 6-2, 6-6 (7-5) Nadal
19:12 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic earns a second match point, which he takes when Nadal fires into the net. That’s it!
Djokovic* 6-2, 6-6 (5-4) Nadal
19:10 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic goes ahead with an arching wide serve, but Nadal then forces and error with a strong forehand strike.
Nadal looks to be in a bit of pain here as he misses the volley.
Djokovic* 6-2, 6-6 (3-3) Nadal
19:08 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal hits a cracking straight backhand to take a 3-2 lead, but Djokovic fires back immediately. This one is tough to call.
Djokovic 6-2, 6-6 (2-1) *Nadal
19:06 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic and Nadal take a point each in the early exchanges of the tiebreaker before Nadal hits a backhand wide to give Djokovic a 2-1 lead.
Djokovic 6-2, 6-6 *Nadal
19:04 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic must have been angered because he holds his serve without giving up a single point to take the match to a tie break in the second set.
Djokovic* 6-2, 5-6 Nadal
19:02 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal throws up a strong arm to the crowd in celebration after slamming a vintage forehand winner for 15-0.
But some casual play makes it 30-30, before a lovely sliced volley from Nadal is followed by Djokovic hitting into the net.
Nadal has perfectly showcased his fighting spirit in the last five minutes here and the crowd are loving it.
Djokovic 6-2, 5-5 *Nadal
18:58 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic starts off with an ace but then hits a wild backhand to make it 15-15. Nadal wins a point but Djokovic fires back with another ace to go 30-30.
Nadal is taken too wide to prevent hitting the net with his return to serve, giving Djokovic a match point.
But Nadal won’t give up and wins one his best points of the day with a rasping forehand shot to make it deuce.
He then produces a stunning forehand pass on the run to leave Djokovic stranded as the crowd erupt. Djokovic then hits into the net to give Nadal a beautiful break.
Djokovic* 6-2, 5-4 Nadal
18:52 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic races into a 0-30 lead before Nadal does the unthinkable and double faults to give his old rival three break points at a crucial moment in the game.
Nadal can’t avoid the inevitable and a tame effort into the net gives Djokovic the break and the chance to serve for victory.
Djokovic 6-2, 4-4 *Nadal
18:51
Nadal shows his physicality to take the game to deuce, but Djokovic takes advantage with a bullet winner.
The Serb then holds for 4-4 in the second set. Nadal is putting up a much better fight here after Djokovic won the first set 6-2.
Djokovic* 6-2, 3-4 Nadal
18:43
Some brutal forehands are exchanged before Nadal clips his reply wide at 15-30.
Nadal then hands Djokovic two break points with a long forehand, but saves the first one when the Serb hits into the net.
He then saves the second break point with a thundering forehand to make it deuce.
Nadal takes the advantages and draws a big cheer from the crowd by kicking the return, but that cheer is topped when he wins the next point to take the game.
Djokovic 6-2, 3-3 *Nadal
18:38 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal is looking more comfortable and like he has released the nerves that afflicted him in the first set.
He races into a 15-40 lead on Djokovic’s serve, but then overshoots before firing a forehand out.
Nadal takes advantage with a powerful groundstroke passing an advancing Djokovic, who volleys back on the next point for deuce.
But Djokovic enacts machine mode and wins the next two points to hold his serve.
Djokovic* 6-2, 2-3 Nadal
18:35 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal keeps his lead as he starts to find the form we all remember him for.
A rare mistake from Djokovic hitting into the net lets Nadal hold with a strong second serve.
Djokovic 6-2, 2-2 *Nadal
18:30 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic just reminds everyone why he has had the career he has had by completing a routine hold when it looked like Nadal was hitting his stride.
Djokovic didn’t allow Nadal a single point in the game, which he won by delivering a strong forehand down the centre of the court.
Djokovic* 6-2, 1-2 Nadal
18:29 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal has shown his warrior mentality by battling back into the lead in this second set.
He slices a volley wide and offers a wry smile with the score at 40-30, then inexplicably gits into the net for deuce.
However, Nadal holds his serve by winning the next two points.
Djokovic 6-2, 1-1 *Nadal
18:24 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal rolls back the years with a sumptuous forehand stroke to break Djokovic and keep this second set level.
There is still live in the Spaniard!
Djokovic* 6-2, 1-0 Nadal
18:21 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal steps up the court and aggressively wins the point to halt Djokovic at 40-15. He will need to do more of that if he doesn’t want this match to end prematurely.
However, Djokovic breaks to win the first game of the second set as Nadal makes a flurry of mistakes. First he double faults, then hits a forehand into the net and then overcooks a groundstroke.
Djokovic is in complete control now and at risk of beating Nadal quicker than anyone in the crowd would like.
Nadal is ‘nervous’
18:17 , Jamie Dickenson
Rafael Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya has given his verdict on the first set.
“Slow start for Rafa today and he will play better in the second set,” Moya told Sky Sports. Nervous given it’s his final match.
“Could be and probably against his biggest enemy/rival on court. So probably a lot of emotions and normal for him to be nervous.
“Let’s try to enjoy now.”
FIRST SET DJOKOVIC! Djokovic 6-2 *Nadal
18:14 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal isn’t quite finding the lines here, hitting into the tramlines on his backhand to see Djokovic go 40-15 up.
The Serbian then holds to win the first set 6-2.
Djokovic* 5-2 Nadal
18:10 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal could be slipping away in this first set already as he overshoots to go 0-40 down and give Djokovic three break points.
He battles back to two break points but Djokovic passes him easily to take the double break.
Djokovic 4-2 *Nadal
18:07
Some ferocious ground strokes from Djokovic are too much for Nadal to handle, giving the Serbian 30-0 lead.
Djokovic then produces an ace on his serve, before offering up a rare double-fault. Nadal then finds a vintage forehand to pull Djokovic back to 40-30.
But Djokovic is a relentless character and he produces a strong serve to hold for the game.
Djokovic* 3-2 Nadal
18:03 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal is doing his best to stay in contact with Djokovic here.
The Spaniard forces Djokovic wide on his advantage and sees the return go into the net.
Djokovic 3-1* Nadal
18:01 , Jamie Dickenson
Djokovic fires back to maintain his two-game lead, holding his serve with relative ease.
Nadal may have trouble containing Djokovic tonight.
Djokovic* 2-1 Nadal
17:55
After losing the first two games Nadal produces an instant response to win his first game of the evening on his serve.
Djokovic 2-0 *Nadal
17:52 , Jamie Dickenson
A frustrated Nadal won the first two points to take a 30-0 lead, but that just seemed to focus Djokovic’s mind as he battled to go 40-30 ahead.
Nadal’s drop shot had Djokovic scrambling but he could only hit into the net for deuce. Djokovic won the game with a stunning forehand stroke that drew a complimentary gesture from Nadal.
Djokovic 1-0 *Nadal
17:47 , Jamie Dickenson
Nadal makes a strong start to the first game, but some poor serving lets Djokovic back in at 30-30 and then the Serbian exerts his dominance to break.
Nadal serves first
17:43
Rafael Nadal has won the toss – with the umpire intriguingly translating the word ‘heads’ into Spanish for him – and will serve first.
Here we go!
Dressed to impress
17:36 , Jamie Dickenson
Rafael Nadal gets a huge applause as he walks out for what could potentially be his final ever singles match.
The Spaniard is wearing a navy blue polo shirt and shorts, with light blue headband and wristbands.
Novak Djokovic is in a red top and purple shorts, with some strapping on his upper right leg.
Lights, camera, action!
17:34 , Jamie Dickenson
There is a pretty amazing light show taking place right now at The Venue in Riyadh before Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic take to the court.
It’s all very different from the strawberries and cream traditionalism of Wimbledon, but it gives a futuristic feel to this end-of-an-era clash in Saudi Arabia.
Djokovic and Nadal are being introduced in boxing-style fashion as they walk out to the court.
Djokovic was like the ‘wimpy cousin’
17:28 , Jamie Dickenson
Pat Cash has been speaking about how Novak Djokovic overtook Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic has 24 Grand Slams, two ahead of Nadal (22) and four more than Federer (20).
“Djokovic was like the wimpy cousin coming through with the legends Federer and Nadal already there,” Cash said on Sky Sports.
“He had to work hard on his game, his speed, his technique, change his game.
“The benchmark was set so high by these guys that Novak realised that was his only chance. He has just kept growing and growing.”
Pep talk
17:20 , Jamie Dickenson
Pep Guardiola has shared his thoughts on the impending retirement of Rafael Nadal.
The Manchester City boss also revealed how he is in awe of the consistency of ‘big three’ tennis legends Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
“I think [Nadal retiring] happened because he saw that he cannot be or compete in the level that he had been for two decades,” Guardiola told Sky Sports’ One on One series and podcast.
“I admire all of them. I admire the consistency of ‘The Big Three’ every single season being there, never giving up, coming back from the setbacks.
“For me they are three geniuses. I tried to learn a lot from their body language, how they behave in the bad moments, how strong they are mentally, and of course the talent and skill.”
Cash excited
17:17 , Jamie Dickenson
Pat Cash is looking forward to this one.
“It’s a huge day – is it Rafa’s final singles match?” he said on Sky Sports.
“It could well be. This is one of the greatest rivalries of all time.”
Match to start at 5.30pm
17:11 , Jamie Dickenson
We are less than 20 minutes away from Rafael Nadal’s last-ever meeting with Novak Djokovic.
The third-place match will start at 5.30pm BST in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Djokovic’s tribute to Nadal
17:07 , Jamie Dickenson
Novak Djokovic posted a heartfelt tribute to Rafael Nadal after he announced his retirement.
There’s a huge amount of respect between these two…
Sinner vs Djokovic highlights
16:54 , Jamie Dickenson
Jannik Sinner needed all three sets to overcome Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Sinner prevailed 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 over Djokovic in an enthralling battle.
Here’s how it went down…
Nadal v Alcaraz highlights
16:45 , Jamie Dickenson
Rafael Nadal was beaten in straight sets by Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz won 6-3, 6-3 in his last-ever match against fellow Spaniard Nadal.
Here’s how he did it…
Tennis stars do Friends
16:40 , Jamie Dickenson
What a TV show this would be…!
Sinner signs autographs
16:31 , Jamie Dickenson
Jannik Sinner signed autographs for some young fans as he arrived ahead of his Six Kings Slam final against Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner beat Novak Djokovic in their semi-final on Thursday to set up a showdown with Alcaraz.
It’s been a breakthrough season for the 23-year-old Italian, who won both the Australian Open and the US Open this year.
Djokovic arrives
16:22 , Jamie Dickenson
Novak Djokovic has arrived at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ahead of his Six Kings Slam third-place match against Rafael Nadal.
Last night Djokovic was in attendance at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh for the Saudi Pro League match between Al Hilal v Al Fayha.
Hopefully he’s not feeling tired!
Alcaraz labelled ‘best ever’
16:15
Pat Cash has made a huge claim about the greatest player to ever play at Wimbledon.
The Australian – who won at SW19 in 1987 – placed Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Cash told Sky Sports Tennis: “He hasn’t got a weakness. I almost think he is one of the best, in fact the best player I have ever seen on grass. Ever seen, and I am really talking about ever seen.
“Because he is a young guy, he has taken the best of Rafa, the best of Federer and he has been able to adapt that. He has just taken the best of everything and somehow at the age of 21 has put it all together. I have never seen anything like that.”
Nadal no dancer
15:58 , Jamie Dickenson
Rafael Nadal turned down Novak Djokovic’s invitation to dance with him during an event in Saudi Arabia last year.
Nadal can be seen smiling and shaking his head whilst holding his young baby after being urged on stage by Djokovic.
The crowd in Riyadh were treated to some dance moves from the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune though…
Djokovic rejects retirement talk
15:39 , Jamie Dickenson
Novak Djokovic has rejected suggestions he could be about to follow Rafael Nadal into retirement.
Djokovic won three out of the four Grand Slams in 2023 but failed to win one this year for the first time in seven years.
The 37-year-old said: “I still feel that I enjoy the process and it generates all these benefits for me, so why not do it?
“Some people think I should retire from tennis at the top. Some people think I should keep going as long as I still think I can be the favourite for a Grand Slam. I think more like them.
“I still have the drive. So I feel sorry for those who want me to retire, because they will have to see me for a while longer.”
Nadal vs Djokovic head to head
15:28 , Jamie Dickenson
Widely considered one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have met no fewer than 60 times, with their last meeting coming at Roland Garros in the second round of the singles competition during this summer’s Paris Olympics.
Djokovic wins: 31
Nadal wins: 29
Nadal and Djokovic friendship ‘impossible’, but ‘never enemies’
15:25 , Jamie Dickenson
When asked how he was able to be friends with long-time rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal revealed it was because they share similar values.
“Of course with Roger it has been special but with Novak too, I have a good relationship,” he said. “It’s the way you approach the sport.
“I think that’s possible because at the end, we understand that it’s only a game. In life, we have many more important things outside of tennis.
“At the end of the day, if you have a good relationship with the colleagues, with the people who are next to you or with the people in general, without a doubt, in my experience, you will be happier. So at the end, tennis is only a game, relationships go beyond that.”
Djokovic has said he has found it “impossible” to be friends with Nadal because of their rivalry, but insists they have “never been enemies”.
“Even with him [Nadal], friendship is impossible,” Djokovic said. “I have always respected and greatly admired him.
“We have never been friends. Between rivals, it is not possible, but we have never been enemies.”
Sinner v Alcaraz
15:07 , Jamie Dickenson
Jannik Sinner takes on Carlos Alcaraz in the inaugural Six Kings Slam final in Saudi Arabia tonight.
The Italian world No1 overcame Novak Djokovic in Thursday night’s first semi-final, only days after he also beat the veteran in the Shanghai Masters showpiece in China.
World No2 Alcaraz, meanwhile, beat fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in straight sets a week after the latter announced his imminent retirement from the sport.
And tonight Sinner battles it out with Alcaraz with the winner taking home the biggest prize money in tennis history at $6m (£4.6m).
Nadal v Djokovic
15:02 , Jamie Dickenson
Tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will meet for one final time this evening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The pair will contest a third-place match after Nadal lost to compatriot Carlos Alcaraz and Djokovic went down to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Nadal – once of the most decorated and iconic players of all time with 22 Grand Slams to his name – has announced his imminent retirement from the sport and will officially hang up his racket after the Davis Cup finals on home soil in Malaga next month.
That means that tonight’s showdown with Djokovic – who has 24 Grand Slams – will be the pair’s last-ever competitive clash.
How to watch Nadal vs Djokovic AND Sinner v Alcaraz
14:47 , Jamie Dickenson
TV channel and live stream: Nadal vs Djokovic and Sinner vs Alcaraz will both be shown live on DAZN for free, with only an email subscription required.
Sky Sports Tennis will also show both matches this evening, while Sky Sports subscribers can also watch online via the Sky Go app.
Welcome!
14:40 , Jamie Dickenson
Good afternoon and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of the Six Kings third-place match and grand final.
Usually all eyes would be on the match that decides the winner and the player who pockets $6,000,000 in prize money, but before all that we have Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s final ever match.
Nadal – who will retire from the sport next month – and Djokovic are expected to start on court at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 5pm BST.
Once that mouthwatering match has finished we will have Jannik Sinner taking on Carlos Alcaraz to decide the first ever winer of the Six Kings Slam – with the action scheduled to get underway at toughly 7.30pm BST.
Stay with us for all the best build-up ahead of both matches!
