"Novak Djokovic is all class"; "Hope Fedal fandom can appreciate": Fans react to Serb saying Rafael Nadal is ready to win Grand Slams in 2024 comeback

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has stated that Rafael Nadal is ready to win more Grand Slam titles when he returns to professional tennis in 2024, eliciting reactions from tennis fans around the globe.

Nadal's 2023 season was derailed when he suffered a hip injury in the second round of the Australian Open. After that, the Spaniard sat out the rest of the year and underwent surgeries. He is now set to make a comeback at the Brisbane International (December 31-January 7).

Novak Djokovic is currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz. The Serb spoke to the press before the match and said that while many people tend to write Nadal off; he believes the 22-time Major champion will be in good shape to add another Grand Slam to his tally.

"I always expect him to play at his best, to be honest. Many times, they’ve signed him out, they’ve done that with me as well. But we’ve proved them wrong," Djokovic said.

"He’s not a kind of a player that will come back to the tour just to play — let’s say — on a medium level, play a few matches. He wants to win titles, he wants to be the best, that’s why he is who he is: a legend of our sport. I’m sure that his training and preparation is done with an intention to win a Grand Slam," he added.

Tennis fans have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Novak Djokovic for his kind words for his arch-rival. One fan hoped that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fans appreciated the Serb's gesture.

"One of the reasons why I love Djokovic. He says the nicest things about other tennis players. Hope the Fedal fandom can appreciate," the user wrote.

Another wrote:

"Novak is so eloquent, gracious and generous with his words towards a great competitor like Rafa- who could definitely learn from that attitude."

One account posted:

"God, this man is all class, how I admire him for this."

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

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Novak Djokovic loses Riyadh exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic (L) and Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic faced Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match in Riyadh as part of the Riyadh Season, a festival organized by Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority.

The pair gave it their all, with the Serb winning the first set and the Spaniard returning the favor by clinching the next two sets and eventually coming out on top with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Djokovic and Alcaraz are now all set to kick off the 2024 season, with the World No. 1 making his tournament debut at the United Cup (December 29-January 7) and the World No. 2 waiting for the Australian Open (January 14-28).