Novak Djokovic admits to 'strange feeling' competing without absent Rafael Nadal and retired Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic has admitted to a "strange feeling" competing without his long-time 'Big Three' rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is set to play at Indian Wells this week, but his old foe Nadal withdrew from the tournament on Thursday, stating he is "not yet ready to play at the highest level" as he continues to recover from a hip problem picked up in January.

Nadal has now played just three matches in 14 months due to his injury problems.

Federer, who collected 20 Grand Slam titles, called an end to his glittering career at the end of 2022 after a persistent knee injury.

And Djokovic opened up about not regularly competing against two rivals he shared numerous battles with on the court over the past two decades.

He said: "So everything happens in life for reason, with the reason, and I think that it's beautiful for our sport that we had, amazing rivalries that have really marked an incredible two decades. And I remember John McEnroe was saying in one of the documentaries that I've seen recently that when Bjorn Borg retired, that he felt like part of him also retired, even though he kept going.

"That's, I must say, a similar feeling that I have with Roger [Federer] retiring and Rafa [Nadal] not playing much at all. It's a strange feeling.

"I mean, I try to find a new rival, and I had some great matches with [Carlos Alcaraz] and [Jannik] Sinner lately, but they still remain the two biggest rivals I've ever had."

Djokovic was also asked whether he would compete at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but the 36-year-old admits it is too far away to know whether he will still be competing professionally.

"I mean, everything is on the cards," he said.

"I just don't know how many cards I have left. Let's see. It's still very far. Think about Los Angeles Olympic Games, but the thought of it excites me.

"Of course, I love to play that. But, as we know, Olympics come every four years. I can't really commit to that yet. I think I'll take it year by year and just see how body serves me, how passionate and committed I am, really."

Djokovic takes on Australia's Aleksandar Vukic in the Round of 64 at Indian Wells on Saturday.

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