NOVAK Djokovic knocked Rafael Nadal out of the 2024 Paris Olympics with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win in the second round on Monday (29/7), when the two tennis greats met for the 60th and possibly final time.
The battle between the two most successful men’s tennis players in history ended when Nadal began to emerge victorious in the second set, allowing him to avoid his heaviest defeat to Djokovic.
“I’m very relieved,” said Djokovic after the match, Monday (29/7).
“Everything was going my way, I was up 6-1, 4-0 but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances,” he continued.
It was the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s 31st win over Nadal in a rivalry that began on the same Roland Garros clay in 2006.
“I never thought in 2006 that we would still be playing against each other almost 20 years later,” Djokovic said.
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Nadal admitted Djokovic was the favourite ahead of their first clash in more than two years, with the Spaniard struggling with injury.
Although 14 of Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles have come in Paris, the 38-year-old has been plagued by injuries in recent years and has slumped to 161st in the world rankings.
Her participation in the Paris singles was in doubt until the last minute.
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Djokovic has not had a great season by his lofty standards, but the 37-year-old Serb is using the opportunity to chase an elusive Olympic gold medal.
The top seed raced into a 5-0 lead before Nadal finally fought back, but Djokovic closed out the set and led 4-0 in the second before Nadal produced a late fightback.
Nadal fought back to level at 4-4 but Djokovic broke again, this time making no mistake as he eliminated his old foe and perhaps closed out one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history.
Djokovic, a bronze medallist in his Olympic debut in 2008, will face either Matteo Arnaldi or Dominik Koepfer for a place in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Nadal will turn his focus to the men’s doubles as he partners compatriot Carlos Alcaraz. (Ant/Z-1)
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