Bjorn Borg believes Rafael Nadal will "play one more year" after crashing out of top-10 but Novak Djokovic will be "around for a few more"

Tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic happen to be the only two tennis players in their 30s to be ranked inside the World’s Top 10 at the moment. After Indian Wells 2023, however, the Serb will be the sole veteran to have a place in the coveted group.

Nadal, who first broke inside the ATP’s Top-10 in 2005 and has not left since, will be pushed outside in the upcoming week, having failed to defend his 2022 Indian Wells points due to his injury-enforced absence.

Moreover, the Spaniard has had a poor run of form ever since his withdrawal from the semifinals of Wimbledon 2022. He has won five encounters and incurred eight losses.

Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg touched upon the significant update that the tennis world is gearing up to witness, come Monday, March 20. The 11-time Grand Slam champion predicted that Nadal, who is currently ranked World No. 9, won’t be seen inside the top-10 once he crashes out. He did, however, note that the 36-year-old will surely be content with his remarkable feat of being ranked that high for 912 weeks.

"I think Rafa, he's not going to be in the top 10 for so many years now. But I think he's a very happy guy,” Bjorn Borg said, per Eurosport.

Becker also commended the 22-time Grand Slam champion on his immensely successful career and noted that Nadal’s competitiveness would very likely see him play on the tour despite fitness issues.

"I mean, what he achieved in tennis, he will still want to continue to play. Maybe the body is not working 100%, but he still wants to play,” Borg noted.

While the Swede opined that the Spaniard might compete for another year before calling it quits, he confidently voiced that Djokovic is here to stay.

“You never know what Rafa is going to do, maybe play one more year. I don't know,” he said. "It is up to him mentally or his body or whatever. But Novak is going to be around for a few more years."

"He wants to be the greatest" – Bjorn Borg believes Novak Djokovic will keep aiming for more even after Rafael Nadal retires

The rivalries between Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have been a significant part of the tennis legends’ careers, and it was evident during Federer’s emotional farewell ceremony at the 2022 Laver Cup.

Bjorn Borg, however, believes that Djokovic is aiming for a feat beyond the challenges presented by his rivals. The former athlete stated that the 35-year-old wants to go down as the “greatest” tennis player in history.

"He is doing it not for himself but for tennis and journalists. Unbelievable. He's still pushing the limits. He wants to be the greatest,” he said, as per Eurosport. “He wants to win more tournaments, break all the records in tennis history. I mean, he is a fantastic player.”

The Swede also made a bold prediction about Djokovic’s future at the Grand Slams, saying:

“Novak, I think he might win one or two more Grand Slam tournaments.”

What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here