Rafael Nadal has stared over the net and witnessed the greatness of Novak Djokovic first hand, but he still can’t bring himself to support him in the 2026 Australian Open final.
Nadal infamously lost to Djokovic in the 2012 decider in a match many tennis fans revere as one of the best of all time.
The 2012 Australian Open men’s final is widely regarded as the greatest in history because it pushed tennis to physical and emotional limits never seen before.
The epic showdown between the worlds No.1 and No.2 players Nadal and Djokovic lasted an unprecedented five hours and 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam final ever.
For nearly six hours, they traded punishing rallies, relentless defence and fearless shot-making deep into the Melbourne night.
The match peaked with a brutal 31-shot rally that left Djokovic flat on his back and Nadal staggering to the sidelines, a moment that perfectly captured the toll on both men.
Novak Djokovic roars after claiming the 2012 Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal
Djokovic prevailed in the longest Australian Open final of all time between the two best players in the world at the time
Nadal could not hide his angst at being outlasted in the epic final that tennis fans revere as one of the greatest of all time
Afterwards, Djokovic described the chaos of that exchange, saying, ‘I was just thinking of getting some air and trying to recover for next point … Thousand thoughts going through the mind.’
Djokovic eventually prevailed at 1:37am, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 in a finish that felt almost surreal.
He later admitted, ‘It was obvious on the court for everybody who watched the match that both of us, physically, we took the last drop of energy that we had from our bodies.’
Nadal, despite defeat, framed the night as something bigger than the result.
‘This one was very special,’ he said, adding that it would stay with him ‘not because I lost, no, because the way that we played.’
Now, Nadal has touched down in Melbourne for the Australian Open again, but this time in the unfamiliar role as spectator.
And he had plenty of praise for his old rival Djokovic, who outlasted world No.2 Jannik Sinner in his quest for a record 11th Australian Open crown.
‘It’s a positive example of commitment, of resilience,’ Nadal said of the 38-year-old.
Rafael Nadal is now retired from tennis and has touched down in Melbourne for the 2026 Aussie Open final
Nadal is reunited with his former Australian Open driver Iain Moffat at Melbourne Park
Nadal has great respect for Djokovic but believes Alcaraz will prevail in the final this time
‘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. Full respect.
‘This is a bit of a legacy for the next generations – we have shown that by doing things well, being professional, having the excitement, the motivation and the passion for what you do and a good team behind you, you can go further.’
While Nadal is full of respect, that only extends so far. Because he believes that youth will prevail and world No.1 Alcaraz will have Djokovic’s measure.
‘If Novak wins, I will be happy for him because in some ways, it is spectacular what he’s doing at this stage of his career,’ Nadal said.
‘So I will be happy. It will not be a drama for me.
‘But if I have to support someone, I feel I have to support Carlos.’
Alcaraz is on the precipice of sporting immortality himself after overcoming cramping, a fuming Alexander Zverev and a fifth-set deficit to cement his place among the tennis legends with a drama-charged Australian Open semi-final triumph in Melbourne.
The world No.1 received a controversial medical time-out deep in the third set before recovering to outlast and ‘exhausted’ Zverev 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 in a five-hour, 27-minute classic at Melbourne Park on Friday.
Alcaraz looked gone in his semifinal against Alexander Zverev after suffering from cramps
The world No.1 recovered, though, to reach the 2026 decider against Novak Djokovic
Alcaraz looked headed for the exit gates when Zverev served for the match at 5-4 in the fifth set before the indomitable Spaniard dug deep to deny the German third seed a second straight Open final spot.
‘Believing. Believing all the time,’ Alcaraz said.
‘I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what, no matter what you’re struggling, what you’ve been through.
‘No matter anything, you’ve still got to believe in yourself all the time.
‘I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically, it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career, I would say.
‘But I’ve been in these kind of situations. I’ve been in these kind of matches before, so I knew what I had to do.
‘I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did it. I fought until the last ball.’
