Novak Djokovic has blunt, perfect response to fans criticising Rafael Nadal's form on clay

A new wave seems to be taking over the world of men's tennis. For some, this is a moment they have long been waiting for, a time when the Big Three finally give way to a more interesting and varied pool of competitors. A moment of reckoning for players like Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and others who have been waiting their turn patiently for many many years. For others, it is a sign of the end of a great era, that will perhaps remain unparalleled in the sport. However, according to World No.1 Novak Djokovic, this all may be an overreaction to what is but a temporary period of bad form from the Big Three.

Novak Djokovic shrugs off Nadal's form at Barcelona Open 2021

Playing at his home tournament, the Serbia Open 2021, current No.1 Novak Djokovic shut down fears over the Big Three's lack of form coming into 2021. With former No.1 and 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer failing to impress since returning from his injury-induced break in 2020, fans have already begun to lament the decline of the 'Big Three'. To add those fears, Djokovic and Nadal both suffered early losses - in Round 4 and in the quarter-finals respectively - at the Monte Carlo Masters 2021, allowing No.5 Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his first Masters 1000 title. 

Talking about this 'lack of form' hullabaloo after his win at the Serbia Open 2021, the top seed said laughingly, “We probably made a lot of people think that we can play perfect tennis every single week for the rest of our lives, but that’s not possible. It’s just a bad week, [if] our opponents have a very good day, they win a tennis match. It’s as simple as that." While Djokovic's own form has been impressive, long-time rival Rafael Nadal has struggled to get back into form post his 2020 French Open final domination of Djokovic.

After quick exits at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo, Rafa gave fans a fright when he went one set down against the 111th-ranked Belarusian Ilya Ivashka in Barcelona. Downplaying the famous Nadal vs Djokovic rivalry, the Serb affirmed his faith in the Spaniard's ability to bounce back from little defeats, saying “I’m not too concerned, especially when it comes to Rafa on clay. I don’t think one or two matches or two weeks is going to change the way he plays on clay or for the upcoming tournaments". Although Djokovic dominates the Nadal vs Djokovic rivalry on head-to-head, Nadal has dominated him on clay, making the French Open 2021 an exciting prospect.

Nadal vs Nishikori live streaming details for India

As of now, there is no information on the Nadal vs Nishikori live telecast channel in India. However, fans can watch the match, and the rest of the Barcelona Open 2021 live in India on TennisTV. Fans in India can also follow the live scores for the Rafael Nadal vs Kei Nishikori match on the websites and social media pages of the ATP and the Barcelona Open.

Image Credits: ATP Tour and Novak Djokovic Twitter