By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 29, 2024
Novak Djokovic won 10 of the first 11 games then withstood a late Rafa Nadal rivalry scoring a 6-1, 6-4 Olympic win in what may be their last match.
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
The last dance was a slam dance for a set and a half.
A ruthless Novak Djokovic gave rival Rafael Nadal the runaround streaking through 10 of the first 11 games on Court Philippe Chatrier’s red clay before the king of clay made a furious rally to level the second set on the court he regards as his living room.
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Ultimately, Djokovic calmed the uprising, defeating archrival Nadal in a 6-1, 6-4 in one hour 43 minute Paris Olympic victory that may well close the curtain on a legendary rivalry between iconic champions.
While Nadal is still alive in Olympic doubles play alongside reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz and is also on the US Open entry list and the Laver Cup entry list, he has said this 2024 season is likely his last on the pro circuit.
Draining the drama from the biggest blockbuster Olympic second-rounder in tennis history at the start, Djokovic dissected his archrival streaking to a 6-1, 4-0 lead with a near-flawless performance.
The greatest clay-court champion in the sport was not going down without a fierce fight. Nadal dug in with defiance, reeling off four games in a row as Court Chatrier fans roared “Rafa! Rafa!” exhorting the 38-year-old Spaniard’s rousing stand.
“I’m very relieved. Everything was going my way, I was 6-1, 4-0 up, but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances,” said Djokovic. “I never thought back in 2006 that we’d still be playing each other almost 20 years later.
“The crowd getting involved was very tough, but it was a crucial game at 4-4 to try and break his serve and try and then try to serve against the wind with the new balls. Wow, it was a very, very close encounter and I’m very happy to get through.”
Continuing his quest for a maiden Olympic gold medal, Djokovic broke for 5-4 then drilled his fifth ace to end a one hour, 43-minute victory in style.
Djokovic nearly doubled Nadal’s winner output—23 to 12—and converted five of 12 break points. Nadal broke twice in the match as Djokovic avenged his 2008 Beijing Olympics loss to the two-time Olympic gold-medal champion.
The king of clay summed up the defeat simply: Grand Slam king Djokovic hit the ball bigger, drove it deeper and moved better.
"I haven't been able to play at the level I needed to and he hasn't given me practically anything either," Nadal told the media in Paris afterward. "I have not had the quality of a continuous ball to create problems for him. From then on I don't have the legs of 15 years ago either.
"So without the quality of the ball and the legs of 15 years ago you are not going to create problems for the best in history, are you?"
Asked afterward if this was his last singles curtain call, Nadal said a final decision is coming.
"When this tournament is over, I will make the necessary decisions," Nadal said. "Relying above all on my desires and my feelings."
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King of Clay Nadal famously said suffering is a prerequisite for success at Roland Garros.
Today, Djokovic played the pain game punishing the 14-time Roland Garros champion to take a 31-29 lead in the most prolific rivalry in ATP history—in what could be the curtain closer on this classic rivalry.
It was just the fifth defeat Nadal has suffered on Roland Garros’ red clay. Djokovic has handed him three of those five losses: 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in the 2015 Roland Garros quarterfinals, 3-6, 6-3 7-6(4), 6-2 in the 2021 Roland Garros semifinals and today.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic will face either Germany’s Dominik Koepfer or Italian Matteo Arnaldi for a quarterfinal spot.
Episode 60 of the Djokovic-Nadal rivalry was so emotionally-charged, fans in Court Philippe Chatrier were doing the wave before the two iconic champions even arrived on court.
The left-handed Spaniard carried an astounding 112-4 Roland Garros record onto Court Chatrier in this reunion of rivals who were both operating as wounded warriors. Nadal wore heavy strapping wrapping his right thigh, while Djokovic sported a right knee brace after undergoing right knee surgery last month.
Eighteen years after their first encounter, Nadal won the toss and elected to receive. Djokovic quickly widened the gap between himself and his compromised rival.
The top-seeded Serbian tested his 38-year-old rival’s legs at the outset. Djokovic worked the drop shot-lob-smash combination cleverly to earn a break point in Nadal’s opening service game. When Nadal tripped a forehand off the tape that settled wide, Djokovic drew first-break blood for 2-0.
Straddling the baseline, Djokovic was taking Nadal’s topspin on the rise, hammering his forehand into the corners. Backing up the Spaniard behind the baseline, Djokovic dipped a masterful backhand drop shot backing up the break at love for 3-0.
Repeatedly targeting Nadal’s two-hander, Djokovic earned break point for a double break. Djokovic deployed the dropper again, but this time Nadal read it and swept a backhand pass to save break point with a flourish.
Mutual respect between major champions was on display when Nadal spun a backhand down the line that looked out all the way until the ball landed. Djokovic conceded the ball was good, motioned to chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein to stay in his seat, drawing applause from fans.
Taking the ball early, Djokovic torched a two-handed winner down the line for a third break point in the fourth game. Centering a deep return down the middle, Djokovic rattled out a framed forehand reply for a 4-0 double-break lead.
A blistering backhand from Djokovic drew applause from Nadal and helped him stamp a love hold stretching his lead to 5-0 after a half hour of play as his fans celebrated by waving Serbian flags.
Fighting back from 15-30 down, Nadal avoided the bagel holding serve for the first time to get on the board when Djokovic narrowly missed a backhand return.
The world No. 2 wrapped up a superb set in 39 minutes.
Hitting heavy drives off both wings, Djokovic controlled the center of the court and often sent a stretched Nadal sliding into defensive positions on the perimeter.
Trying to slow the steamrolling Serbian, Nadal tried to step in and take the ball earlier, but he was missing the forehand down the line facing another break point to start the second set.
The swarming strikes from Djokovic gave the king of clay little breathing room. Nada knocked a backhand into net as Djokovic broke for the third time.
Blasting a backhand winner down the line, Djokovic gave his rival a prelude of the power to come. Nadal hit one of his sharpest returns of the match sending the Serbian off the court where Djokovic lasered a forehand down the line. That audacious winner drew applause from Nadal. Djokovic thumped an ace closing a next-level hold for a 6-1, 2-0 lead.
At that point, Nadal looked lost seeing his best strikes dismissed by Djokovic’s blinding brilliance.
On this day, an oppressive Djokovic made sure every point came at a physical price. Even when Nadal landed twisting topspin forehands, Djokovic was often angling back backhand replies. Djokovic battered out the double break lead for the second straight set.
Showing slick all-court acumen, Djokovic tossed in a serve-and-volley winner to extend his imposing lead to 4-0.
Credit the king of clay for his familiar rugged resilience. Nadal held serve then after 64 minutes of play earned break point when Djokovic jerked a forehand wide.
Pausing before the second serve, Djokovic then double-faulted off the tape, handing back one of the breaks.
Playing with more urgency, Nadal incited Chatrier fans to chant “Rafa! Rafa!” as he held at 15—his third straight game—to close to within 3-4.
A hard-charging Nadal earned double-break point in the eighth game to level the set.
On the second break point, Djokovic inexplicably smashed right back at Nadal, who showed fast hands hitting a bounce smash from the baseline right back at the Serbian to extend the point. Nadal flashed a forehand pass breaking for his fourth consecutive game and inciting the crowd to full-throated roars.
The strapping around Nadal’s right thigh was becoming loose as he missed a forehand to face double break point. Djokovic missed a routine return off a second serve on the first break point. On the second, Nadal serve and volleyed, read Djokovic’s pass and knifed a volley hurling a fist pump to draw even at deuce.
The challenge for Nadal was sustaining the lofty levels for stretches. Nadal framed a forehand to face a third break point. Nadal saved it but Djokovic rapped a backhand down the line and forehand winner for a fourth break point.
Stepping into the court as if lining up another backhand blast down the line, a shrewd Djokovic dabbed a pristine backhand drop shot winner.
That soft touch supplied the crucial break for 5-4 as Djokovic cupped a hand behind his ears asking Nadal fans to make some noise.
Serving for the match in perhaps the last duel between the rivals, Djokovic pumped his fourth ace down the middle for 30-15.
Slashing an ace to end it, 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic walked to net to embrace 22-time major title holder Nadal.
Divided by the net for 60 glorious matches, the iconic champions came together for what could be one final heart-felt hug on court.