Paris:World no.1 Novak Djokovic had to settle for runners up against the seemingly infallible Rafael Nadal at the 2020 French Open and the Serb was all praise for his Spanish rival after the match.
Djokovic, who was looking to become the first man in the Open Era to win all four Grand Slams twice, lost 0-6, 2-6, 5-7 to Nadal on Sunday.
"What you are doing in this court is unbelievable. Throughout your career you have been a great champion," said Djokovic.
"Today you showed why you're king of the clay. I have experienced it on my own skin. It was a very tough match for me today, obviously, I'm not so pleased with the way I played but I was definitely overplayed by a better player today on the court."
Djokovic also congratulated the organisers for successfully holding the tournament. Originally scheduled to be held from May 25 to June 7, the 2020 French Open had to be postponed to its eventual dates of September 27 to October 11 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It has been a fantastic four weeks. The situation is very difficult for everyone and we were all worried about whether we can play the sport we love. So thank you to all the organisers for making this possible," said Djokovic.
Meanwhile, Nadal in his post-match speech insisted that he is not thinking about Federer's record. "A very tough year. Win here means everything to me. It's not the moment, to be honest, for me to think about the 20th, equal Roger on this great number," said Nadal.
"For me, today is just a Roland Garros victory. Roland Garros means everything to me. I spent here some of the most important moments in my tennis career, no doubt about that... for me, just play here is a true inspiration. The love story I have with this city and with this court is unforgettable."
Nadal also congratulated Djokovic, who he last beat in a Grand Slam final at the 2014 Roland Garros. Djokovic is also one of two players who have ever managed to beat Nadal at the French Open, having achieved the feat in the quarter-final of the 2015 tournament.
"Congratulations to Novak for another great tournament. Sorry for today, you know. In Australia, he killed me a couple of times ago. Today was for me, that's part of the game. We've played plenty of times together: one day wins one, another day wins the other. So just all the best for the future, Novak," he said.
