Sporting greats who are rivals on the field but share an unbreakable bond off it

At the end of the day, it is all about rivalry. We watch sports for entertainment and the very core of being on the edge of your seats is rivalry. Without rivalry, competition doesn’t exist and without that, there is no point playing anything at all.

While rivalry is essential on the field of play, off it, it is something unnecessary and has to be shed off. After the match is over, some sportsmen take the grudge beyond the field. However, there are some who are like the bond of Fevicol: unbreakable.

They share a friendship that is beyond space and time and unparalleled in its glory. Here are 5 such instances:

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

At one point of time, the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was at the peak of the tennis world. The furious battles that they played out on the court were a breathtaking sight for the rest of us. On the outside, it was like two warriors were raging against each other to stab the opponent's heart out.

However, off the field, Nadal and Federer are two of the nicest gentlemen and share a lovely friendship. It is almost as though they forget their on-court brawls and become best mates in the blink of an eye. Witness them together off the court and you will realize that even your other half doesn’t look at you the way they look at each other.

Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara

Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara share a drink

For many, Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest player of all time. However, to some others, Brian Charles Lara is the greatest player to set foot and grace Test cricket. While the arguments will never cease to exist, what can’t be denied is that the two were perhaps the greatest players of our generation.

While there is no doubt about Lara’s ability to bat the longer innings, Sachin’s exploits in the limited overs often put him above he West Indian. However, regardless of all that, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara are two of the best buddies off the field.

On the pitch, there were no better competitors and off it, there were no better friendships.

Niki Lauda and James Hunt

Niki Lauda (L) and James Hunt were fierce rivals who turned friends

The movie Rush perfectly depicted the nature of the relationship between these two rivals. Hunt, despite being super-talented, really wasn’t all that serious about life. However, Lauda was the more methodic one and raced with meticulous calculation.

Despite being such contenders for the F1 trophy, Lauda and Hunt shared a very good bond as friends. They used to hang out together and go to parties together and lived a very friendly life. Lauda later admitted that he wished Hunt was alive to see the movie Rush because he would have “enjoyed it”.

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray started their careers at nearly the same time

This rivalry is more recent than the others enlisted on this article. After the era of Rafa-Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray’s rivalry has come to prominence. Even though, Djokovic is a different beast altogether but when he is at his best, Andy Murray has shown that he can hold his own going up against the mighty Serbian.

Off the pitch, however, they are like brothers. Being friends since childhood, the two tennis stars share a visible camaraderie when hanging out off the court. They themselves admitted that while they are fierce rivals on the field of play, they are better friends off it.

Venus Williams and Serena Williams

The Williams sisters'share an unbreakable bond

What happens when two of the best players in the court of play are siblings? We are, of course, talking about Venus and Serena Williams. The Williams sisters are not only the greatest female tennis players of all time; they are also role models for the little girls pursuing their tennis dreams around the world.

While Serena might be the greatest player of all time, Venus changed the way the game was played in the women’s arena. Off the court, however, Venus admits that sister, Serena is smarter than she is and that she looks up to her younger sibling.

That’s a bond like Fevicol’s!