Tennis is perhaps the most Olympian of sports: its greatest players are more godlike than human. A potentially juicy second round match-up in Paris was Monday’s meeting between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Incredibly, this was their 60th duel — and quite possibly their last at this level.
Despite the match being played on Nadal’s favourite clay surface and at his second home on the centre court of Roland Garros (where he has won an astonishing 14 French Open titles), I feared a whitewash – in Novak’s favour. As usual, the vast majority of the crowd was cheering for Novak’s opponent. I don’t know how the Serb can stand it, but he manages to block them out.
My fears looked to be well founded when Novak went 6-1, 4-0 ahead. It was getting embarrassing. Rafa’s shots looked and sounded laboured. The heavy groans after every strike were painful to the ear. His game style is exhausting, even for a spectator. The effort he puts into that massive topspin is crazy. No wonder he’s had so many injuries during his long career. Will he even be able to walk when he hits 50?
Novak, at 37, is just one year younger than Rafa, but the physical gap seems much wider. It would seem that there’s a lot to be said for his slim frame and vegan diet.
Throughout the match, Djokovic positively floated around the court, turning his opponent’s power to his advantage. Creating pace is hard work, whereas absorbing it takes much less effort.
It looked like Nadal might just achieve the impossible at one point, clawing his way back to 4-4 in the second. The man is never down until he’s out. Fat lady and all that. But not this time. Only a couple of days ago, his singles participation was in doubt: witness the heavy strapping on the right thigh during this match. It surely can’t be long before Rafa announces his retirement.
Djokovic may be considered by many to be the men’s GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) — though Nadal and Federer run him close — but, despite winning every Grand Slam, Novak has never won an Olympic gold medal. I bet he’s pretty desperate to get one this time round – it seems highly unlikely that he’ll be competing, let alone at a high level, in four years from now at the next Olympics.
I’m not a big Novak fan, but I think he deserves this one. However, there’s a long way to go – he still has to get past the likes of Tsitsipas, Musetti and, above all, his bête noire , Carlos Alcaraz. This year, Alcaraz won both the French Open and Wimbledon (defeating Djokovic at the latter) — a rare achievement known as a Channel Slam. I’m licking my lips at the thought of a Djokovic/Alcaraz Olympic rematch in Paris.
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