Novak Djokovic explains why 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal is so dominant on such courts

World number one Novak Djokovic explained in a recent interview why rival Rafael Nadal, who is famously nicknamed the 'King of Clay,' is so dominant on those courts. With Djokovic having won 20 Grand Slams and Nadal having won 21, it is fair to say that the two players are two of the greatest of all time. Hence, it is interesting to see what one star makes of another's playing style and the challenges they face.

Novak Djokovic explains Rafael Nadal's dominance on clay

While speaking to the ATP website, Novak Djokovic said, "He (Rafa) always comes very hot off the blocks. In most of his matches, particularly on clay, he gets an early break and just brings so much intensity to the court. Just full top-spins right from the start. It's hard to deal with those balls, it takes a little bit of time to adapt and adjust to it."

The Serbian went on to add how an opponent may beat the Spaniard by stating, "If you can weather the first storm, then you might have a chance to win it. You know you're going to have a lot of breaks of serve if you're playing Nadal. I wasn't too concerned about that. I liked my chances."

Rafael Nadal's dominance on clay is extraordinary as the Spaniard has won a staggering 13 Roland Garros titles. Moreover, he is also the only player to win the Clay Slam, having done so in 2010. In that year, he won the Monte Carlo Open, the Rome Masters, the Madrid Open and the French Open.

Rafael Nadal hints at retirement

Following his shocking three-set defeat (1-6, 7-5, 6-2) to Denis Shapavalov in the Rome Masters, Rafael Nadal hinted that he may retire soon because he is dealing with pain that is becoming difficult to handle. After the loss, the Spaniard said, "Let's see for how long I can keep going or until my head tells me otherwise because right now, I must accept my days are like this."

He went on to explain, "There will be a moment where my head will ask me to stop because I cannot keep going not just thinking about tennis but thinking about normal life. That's my reality. With such a daily pain it is hard for me (to live). I have told this several times. I play to be happy and because playing makes me happy, but sometimes the pain takes away that happiness."