Most ATP Tour singles meetings (male)

Rafael Nadal (Spain) and Novak Djokovic (Serbia) played each other 60 times on the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Tour between 2006 and 2024. The head-to-head record of the tour’s most prolific pairing reveals a 31–29 split in favour of Djokovic, despite Nadal winning 14 of their first 18 encounters in 2006–09. They first met in the quarter-finals of the 2006 French Open – a match Djokovic was forced to retire from while trailing two sets to love. Their 60th and final match took place at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics on 29 July, when Djokovic progressed 6–1, 6–4 against the “King of Clay”, on his way to claiming Olympic gold and a career “Golden Slam”. The curtain came down on their 18-year rivalry when Nadal announced his retirement in October 2024, ahead of the following month’s Davis Cup Finals, at which he was expected to represent Spain for one last time.

Nadal leads the head-to-head 11–7 in Grand Slam singles competition, including five wins from the nine finals they played.

Among their most epic encounters were five-set title matches at the 2012 Australian Open (5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7, 7–5 to Djokovic), 2013 French Open (6–4, 3–6, 6–1, 6–7, 9–7 to Nadal) and 2018 Wimbledon (6–4, 3–6, 7–6, 3–6, 10–8 to Djokovic).

In an era dominated by three men - Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer – who had collectively amassed 66 major singles titles as of 8 September 2024, it’s little surprise that the second and third most prolific ATP Tour singles pairings are 50 for Djokovic vs. Federer (2006-20; 27-23 to Djokovic) and 40 for Nadal vs. Federer (2004–19; 24–16 to Nadal).

Overall, the 80 WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Tour matches (including 14 Grand Slam finals) contested by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in 1973–88 remains the most prolific rivalry in the modern era (since 1968), with Navratilova 43–37 ahead (10–4 in Grand Slam finals).