Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal share one of the most iconic rivalries in the history of tennis. The two have played each other more than any other pair in the Open Era. Their matches have led to some exciting thrillers and fans will see more such matches in the future.
Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal head-to-head
Djokovic and Nadal have met on the court on 59 occasions. Out of this, Djokovic has won 30 matches while Nadal has won 29. This itself shows how closely the two compete with each other at the highest level. While Djokovic leads in the overall tally, Nadal dominates Djokovic 11–7 at grand slams.
Their clashes can be broken down on the basis of different courts as well. When it comes to clay, Nadal is the clear winner. He leads Djokovic with a head-to-head score of 20–8. There is a reason why everyone calls him the King of Clay.
However, the same is reversed on hard court. Djokovic has dominated Nadal on the hard court. Out of the 27 times they have met on hard court, Djokovic has won 20 while Nadal has won 7. Both have won two matches each on grass.
Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal: Titles won
As of now, Nadal has 22 grand slam titles. It is the most a male player has won in the history of the sport. After winning Wimbledon 2022, Djokovic’s grand slam tally went up to 21. He is only one title behind Nadal and can surpass him considering he is younger than Nadal.
The two are very close when it comes to ATP titles as well. Nadal has won 92 ATP titles now. It includes 22 grand slams, 36 Masters 1000 titles, 23 ATP 500 titles, and 10 ATP 250 titles. He has also won the Davis Cup five times in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019.
On the other hand, Djokovic has won 88 ATP titles now. It includes 21 grand slams, 5 Master titles, 38 Masters 1000 titles, 14 ATP 500 titles, and 10 ATP 250 titles. Djokovic won the Davis Cup only once in 2010.
Who is better between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal?
All the statistics generally favor Nadal by a very small margin. However, it should be taken into consideration that Djokovic is younger than Nadal. Therefore, there is no way to know who is better. Tennis fans should cherish their rivalry because it will be a long time before tennis sees something even remotely close.