Rafa Nadal provides reason Novak Djokovic is blocked from Roger Federer group chat
Rafael Nadal explained that Novak Djokovic‘s playing career is why he hasn’t been added to the group chat he shares with Roger Federer. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has maintained a close relationship with his longtime Swiss rival, which began before his retirement from tennis in 2024. Nadal, 40, admitted he remains in close contact with Federer, 45, and revealed what the two sporting icons regularly discuss. “We’re in touch almost every week,” the Spaniard told AP. “We talk, and we think we were much better than the players today (laughs). In all seriousness, we usually talk about other things, like golf and other sports; we also share ideas, it’s a normal relationship.”
Nadal went on to reveal that a WhatsApp group chat between the sport’s ‘Big Three’ has yet to be created because Djokovic, 39, is still competing. He admitted: “We don’t have a chat – Federer, Djokovic, and I – because Novak is still competing.
The ‘King of Clay’ is over two years removed from calling time on his career but will pick up a racket in an exhibition match in Las Vegas next February ahead of Indian Wells. Discussing his decision to return to the court, Nadal said: “At first, I wasn’t really looking forward to playing the exhibition in Las Vegas, but in a way, it forces me to start training again and get back into my routines.
“To be honest, I’m still hitting the ball quite well. But moving around the court, that’s a different story. I need to take it step by step; if I want to avoid injuries, it’s a process that requires time and patience.
Nadal hasn’t ruled out sharing a court with Federer once more, whom he leads 24-16 in their historic on-court rivalry. He said: “I’m open to playing an exhibition with Roger Federer, and I’ve had long conversations with him. We’ll see what happens in the future and whether it takes place or not. But we’re in touch almost every week. We talk very often, and if at some point we find the right reason and the right place to do something, we’ll announce it, but we don’t know yet.”
The Mallorca great remains a pivotal figure in the world of tennis thanks to the Rafa Nadal Academy. He opened the training centre in 2016 and revealed plans to expand the academy in the United States. “We are in the process of trying to replicate what we’ve done in Mallorca, but on a significantly larger scale, in the United States,” Nadal said to Cantabria Labs president, Juan Matji.
Two-thirds of tennis’ Big Three are retired and while Djokovic has conceded his crown to the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the 24-time Grand Slam champion remains one of the best players in the world. The 39-year-old won the China Open last month in a walkover victory over Alex De Minaur to mark his 102nd career title at tour level.
Djokovic endured a shocking end to his 2026 season last week at the Paris Masters when he suffered a stunning second-round defeat to qualifier Rinky Hijikata. The world No. 83 became the lowest-ranked man to beat Djokovic this year.
