By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Thursday, July 25, 2024
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
The City of Light is abuzz over potential electrifying encounter.
Novak Djokovic is pumped for a Paris reunion with rival Rafael Nadal.
More: Alcaraz Dismisses Djokovic to Defend Wimbledon
Episode 60 of the Djokovic vs. Nadal rivalry will happen in the Paris Olympics second round if both iconic champions win their Olympic openers.
The top-seeded Djokovic, who holds a 30-29 head-to-head edge over Nadal in the most prolific rivalry in ATP history, said he's pumped for possible showdown with the king of clay at Roland Garros.
"I'm very excited about this duel in the second round and I'm going to give it my all," Djokovic told the media in Paris at Team Serbia's press conference. "I am aware of the importance of the Olympics. But I represent my country, it's more pressure, more responsibilities even if I'm used to it."
The 37-year-old Serbian superstar returns to Paris after undergoing surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee on Wednesday, June 5th in the City of Light. Djokovic opens against Aussie Matthew Ebden, while Nadal faces Marton Fucsovics in his first-round match.
Coming off a straight-sets loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic is playing for his first career Olympic gold medal. The former No. 1 said the Grand Slams and Olympic Games are his primary motivation.
Knowing the career clock is ticking compels Djokovic to maximize these moments.
"This year has been a bit difficult both physically and mentally," Djokovic said. "But these are circumstances that I am not experiencing for the first time. I know how to understand the situation.
"Maybe I don't have as much time as I did ten or fifteen years ago. I focus on the big events. That's why I'm working to be able to compete with a 20-year-old at the highest level. I'm looking forward to this tournament."
Audacious power propelled Alexander Zverev to shatter the top-seeded Serbian's Golden Grand Slam dream at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Amping up his aggression, Zverev streaked through 10 of the last 11 games shocking world No. 1 Djokovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 to power into the Tokyo Olympics gold-medal match.
"He just upped his level and I just wasn't serving anymore as well as I did for a set and a half and he didn't miss too many first serves from the 2-3 down in the second set all the way to the last point," Djokovic told Olympic Channel's Trenni Kusnierek. "He was serving huge and taking every opportunity from the back of the court to attack.
"He just wasn't missing at all. He didn't give me any free points. I didn't get any free points on my serve. That's tennis at the highest level."
The fourth-seeded Zverev snapped Djokovic's 22-match winning streak in stunning style ensuring his compatriot, Hall of Famer Steffi Graf, will still stand alone as the only player in history to capture the Golden Grand Slam winning all four Grand Slam singles crowns and the Olympic gold medal in the same season. Only Graf, her husband, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have completed the career Golden Grand Slam. Serena Williams owns the career Golden Slam in singles and in doubles.
Ahead of these Paris Olympics, Djokovic called winning the gold medal for Serbia "one of my biggest dreams."
"Expectations are always high. I lost in the semifinals at the previous Olympics," Djokovic said. "It's an obstacle that I haven't been able to overcome yet. We couldn't prepare perfectly because the tennis calendar is very busy. I played at Wimbledon because it's the most important tournament in our sport. But now, it's a softer surface so it gave me time to adapt with my knee injury. The last five days of preparation went well. I feel more ready for the Olympics than for Wimbledon and I'm sure it will show in this tournament.
"The Olympics are one of the goals of my career. It's definitely one of my biggest dreams. So it gives me more pressure and expectation. I've always had good tournaments, reaching the semifinals every time except at the Olympics except in Rio. I hope to be able to take this last step. I'm on familiar ground at Roland Garros."