Paris: Two aging warriors, whose sensational battles over the last two decades made for riveting viewing, hoped to put on another grand show but the completely battered body of one didn’t allow for it with their latest rendition only reaching the high notes towards the end of a one-sided fight.
The 38-year-old Rafael Nadal, a champion here at Roland Garros 14 times and venerated with a statue for his stupendous accomplishments that should stand the test of times, tried as hard as he could but having only returned to the circuit recently following a debilitating hip injury he suffered at the 2023 Australian Open, the rustiness was evident.
And his great rival Novak Djokovic feasted on it, coming rushing out of the blocks and then quelling a late charge from the Spaniard to post a smooth 6-1, 6-2 win in the second round clash of the Paris Olympics.
The moment Nadal, most likely playing his final season on the circuit, confirmed his plans to play singles competition at the Olympics, the organisers and fans couldn’t conceal their excitement especially when it was known that he would take on Djokovic if he passed his opening test.
Expectedly, Roland Garros was buzzing like it usually does in May with fans trying to get into the most famous clay court arena in the world and many lapping up their seats for the Djokovic-Nadal clash as early as they could.
The emcee too hyped the clash by announcing it was their 60th meeting and the 46 Grand Slams they’ve won — Djokovic 24 and Nadal 22. They wanted the big-match feel although one knew the challenge Nadal faced despite being the King of Clay.
His powers have vanished considerably and he’s only playing in Paris because it’s a venue extremely close to his heart. This is the place that was a springboard for his great journey and competing here in his final chapter was the best way to close a book filled with soul-stirring achievements.
But sport sometimes doesn’t always allow for fairytale finishes and Nadal got another picture of it against Djokovic, a man on a mission to capture one piece of jewel to complete his journey as the Greatest Of All Time — an Olympic gold.
Nadal’s struggles were visible in every department. He struggled to hold his serve, he struggled to land his patented top-spins on the forehand, he struggled for power, he struggled for precision…..he just looked out of place in his own bastion as the packed audience watched in utter shock.
Djokovic, himself playing with a brace on his right knee after injuring it at the French Open, pounced on the Spaniard’s weaknesses. He only needed to play percentage tennis and that itself saw him rake up a 5-0 lead.
A bagel seemed on the offing for Nadal but the veteran finally managed to hold serve to avoid it. But he couldn’t avoid Djokovic from wrapping up the first set in the very next game.
An early finish seemed imminent when Djokovic broke Nadal twice to gallop to a 4-0 lead. Nadal kept nodding his head in disappointment as his racquet didn’t do what he intended it to do. His mind knew what he wanted but his battered body just didn’t obey the commands.
Nadal isn't the one to go out without a fight. He summoned all of his famed prize-fighting skills to break Djokovic twice and level the proceedings at 4-4. Suddenly the decibel levels multiplied manifold with screams of ‘Rafa, Rafa’. Nadal found some life, the fans their voice.
That though was all Nadal could summon. Djokovic found his range again to break him back with a beautiful drop shot and then closed out the contest with an ace on match point.