By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, July 28, 2024
Rafael Nadal fends off Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to set up a blockbuster Olympic second-round showdown vs. rival Novak Djokovic.
Photo credit: Jean Catuffe/Getty
Spanish flags were flying as a festive Court Philippe Chatrier crowded chanted “Rafa! Rafa!”
Pushed to the limit in his Paris Olympic opener, Rafael Nadal showed fierce resolve and smiling relief fending off Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
Wearing adhesive taping wrapping his right thigh—the adhesive came loose a couple of times—and re-taping his fingers on changeovers, Nadal patched together a victory that was three very different sets.
The 14-time Roland Garros champion commanded the center of the court dominating the first set. Nadal grew defensive and emboldened Fucsovics flipped the script playing more assertive tennis in the second set. In the decider, Nadal failed to convert double break point chances early then had to fight off triple break point himself.
Nadal scored the crucial break for 4-2 then finished with a flashy forehand winner.
This victory vaults King of Clay Nadal into the greatest Olympic second-round showdown in history vs. Grand Slam King Novak Djokovic, who crushed doubles specialist Matthew Ebden in his opener yesterday.
"A little tired of course, it was a long match, but I'm happy. It was a good test and the positive thing is that I was able to play at a good level for a while, which always gives hope," Nadal told the media in Paris. "And the negative side is that I haven't been able to maintain this high level.
"We'll see tomorrow. It will be a different story, another complicated opponent. Of course, we are in different situations in our respective careers. [Djokovic] just made a Grand Slam final, I just spent two years without being able to be very competitive. We'll see. It's a special place, I'm just going to give my best and enjoy it as much as possible."
The top-seeded Djokovic, who holds a 30-29 head-to-head edge over Nadal in the most prolific rivalry in ATP history.
Djokovic says 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.
First, will episode 60 of the most prolific rivalry in ATP history even come off? Nadal was a game-time decision today after a night doubles victory alongside reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz on Court Chatrier on Saturday night.
Secondly, if Nadal is healthy how will the 38-year-old Spanish superstar, who faced a flurry of drop shots from Fucsovics today, hold up against a 37-year-old Djokovic, who is coming off the Wimbledon final?
While his running forehand is not as crisp and he didn’t show the same first set burst in this match—Fucsovics drop-shotted the king of clay several times—Nadal is a legend who still plays with the passion of a Tour rookie excited to prove himself.
The good news for Nadal is Olympic matches are best-of-three sets not the best-of-five physical tests of Grand Slams.
So with that in mind, Nadal can red-line, right?
It’s a bit more complicated than that.
Remember, Nadal played the longest Tour-level three-setter of the season this month. Relying on some superb serve-and-volley helped Nadal close a wild 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-5 Bastad victory that spanned four hours and sent Nadal into his first semifinal since the 2022 Wimbledon.
Throughout his first Olympic Games since he partnered buddy Marc Lopez to doubles gold at the 2016 Rio Games, Nadal has repeatedly said winning a medal is the main mission in Paris.
What if he decides—for a variety of reasons—his best shot is going all in with reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz rather than facing a potential physical battle against Djokovic?
Those are the decisions facing Nadal.
Playing deep crosscourt drives, Nadal rattled out successive errors breaking for a 2-0 lead.
The jolting forehand down the line is one of Nadal’s most damaging weapons—and a barometer of his confidence. Nadal cracked forehand strikes down the line to help close his “Nadalcaraz” doubles victory alongside reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz last night.
Today, Nadal hit the heavy crosscourt forehand to set up the finishing drive down the line holding at 30 for 4-1.
Despite seeing the scalding down the line strike, Fucsovics dared challenging the Nadal forehand on a diagonal approach. Predictably, the Hungarian got burned as Nadal rolled a forehand down the line breaking for 3-1.
Sliding an ace out wide brought Nadal triple set point. Crunching a crosscourt backhand bolt, Nadal closed the 32-minute opening set with a love hold.
Fucsovics continued to try to step in and take Nadal’s topspin on the rise. When he timed it well, he was rewarded.
Hammering his forehand to push Nadal into a defensive position, Fucsovics fired an inside-out forehand breaking for a 2-0 second-set lead.
Fucsovics confirmed the break with a flying forehand down the line and a net foray, flipping the first-set script. Wisely dabbing in drop shots to exploit the Spaniard’s deep court positioning and test his wrapped leg, Fucsovics held for 4-1 when Nadal knocked a backhand into net.
The two-time gold-medal champion was playing much more defensively and Fucsovics was the one controlling the direction of rallies.
Serving for the set at 5-3, Fucsovics played a brilliant drive around the net post—part of a pulsating and lengthy rally that saw Nadal throw down a smash and a loud “Vamos” getting to 15-30. The drop shot that had been so successful failed the Hungarian wide. When Fucsovics put a backhand into net, Nadal broke back for 4-5.
Still, Fucsovics fought back, landing a forehand down the line on the line than getting double set point gift-wrapped on a Nadal double fault.
Nadal saved the first set point with a stinging serve and dodged the second when a sliding Fucsovics missed a forehand down the line.
Staring down a third set point, Nadal tightened up and nudged a forehand drop shot into the middle of the net as Fucsovics broke to force a decider.
After a brief clothing change break, the pair squared started the final set with Fucsovics serving after 95 minutes of play. Fucsovics fended off two break points to stamp the opening hold.
Nadal earned double break point in the third game, but Fucsovics again stood tall. The Hungarian saved both break points sparking a seven-point surge that saw him hold for 2-1 and gain triple break point in the fourth game.
Digging down, Nadal denied all three break points then pierced the sideline with a running backhand for game point. Whipping a forehand winner down the line, Nadal leveled 2-all.
Throwing a fist pump, a fired-up Nadal went up 15-30 on a Fucsovics double fault then flashed a forehand down the line earning double break point for the third straight game.
After playing so well for so long, Fucsovics gifted the breaking spraying a Safin-style leaping backhand as Nadal edged ahead 3-2.
Though the drop shot failed him on set point in set two, Nadal showed guts flicking two drop shot winners—including one to save a break point—as he navigated a tricky test holding for 4-2.
That spirited stand prompted some fans to chant “Rafa! Rafa!”
Serving for the second-round showdown vs. Djokovic at 5-4, Nadal earned double match point. The 14-time French Open champion sailed a forehand on his first match point.
On his second match point, Nadal double faulted off the tape—his first double fault of the deciding set and third of the day.
A long rally ended with Fucsovics narrowly missing a backhand down the line.
On his third match point, Nadal flashed one final forehand strike down the line to close a match of three very different sets.