Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal at Six Kings Slam in pair’s final head-to-head match

The final chapter of the longtime rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was a 6-2, 7-6(5) win for Djokovic on Saturday in the third-place match of the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Though not officially counted as the 61st all-time meeting between the two, the third-place affair in the exhibition carried historical significance as the last time that the two legends met in a match environment with Nadal, who is retiring after next month's Davis Cup Finals, as an active player.

And the result, a 90-minute win for Djokovic that unfolded similarly to their final sanctioned clash at the Paris Olympics this summer, was secondary to what the the match itself represented: both to the two personally, and to tennis as a whole. A one-sided first set gave way to a tighter finish in the second set, and when the match concluded, a show in itself began.

"I don't know where to start with Rafa,” Djokovic said post-match. “An amazing career. I could speak all night. It has been an honor to share the court with you.

"I go back to the very first match we played and who would know we would be standing here almost 20 years later, playing 60 times. I have the utmost respect for you. Incredible athlete, incredible person.

"The rivalry has been incredible, very intense, so I hope we will have the chance to sit on the bench somewhere, have a drink and reflect.

"I know how much sacrifice [there has been]. It is an emotional day, so don't leave tennis, man! Stay with us! You have left an amazing legacy."

Presented with a golden racquet by event organizers post-match, Nadal said that he'll miss "almost everything" about being a professional tennis player.

"It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years being competitive, having the chance to play in the best places in the world, which I watched on TV as a kid," he said. "I cannot thank enough the support and love I have received all around. There was an amazing journey [at] every single tournament over the years.

"I feel very fortunate to be a tennis player."