PARIS — Rafael Nadal made individuals imagine right here Monday, not due to how he performed, however as a result of he’s Rafa, and he was on the clay at Roland Garros, and there has by no means been a finer marriage of man and materials. If this 6–1, 6–4 loss to Novak Djokovic was the ultimate Olympics singles match of Nadal’s profession, as many have speculated, then he went out the one approach he might: not at his greatest, however along with his greatest. It’s the solely approach he has ever performed.
The primary set was a relentless reminder of why Djokovic stays a menace to win Grand Slams and why Nadal has doubtless gained his final. Djokovic coated the entire court docket; Nadal had one mishit after one other. Afterward, when Nadal was requested in regards to the distinction within the match, he stated “Every thing.” So sure: Nadal struggled. However it was not, from this vantage level, miserable to observe, as a result of Nadal has at all times struggled. That is a part of his attract.
Roger Federer, at his greatest, made tennis look simple; Nadal, at his greatest, reminds us it’s onerous. He didn’t dominate with an superior serve, and although he gained Wimbledon twice, the fast factors on grass have been by no means his specialty. He’s wired for clay. Prolonged baseline rallies that appeared to exhaust all people else energize Nadal. Clay-court tennis rewards the methodical, and so specialists are presupposed to be boring. However Nadal was not a clay-court specialist. He was an artist who did his greatest work with clay. The more durable the tennis, the higher he performed.
Djokovic gained 10 of the match’s first 11 video games, completely outclassing Nadal, after which … after which … how do you even clarify what occurred subsequent? Nadal gained 4 straight video games. He performed some good tennis. Followers who had cheered at each wisp of hope immediately had actual cause for it. If Rafa might simply discover a technique to power a 3rd set, who wouldn’t imagine?
Nadal has gained 14 French Open finals on Courtroom Phillippe-Chatrier, a quantity that staggers irrespective of how usually one repeats it. When Nadal began his profession, just one man had gained 14 Grand Slam occasions: Pete Sampras, who gained precisely that many. Nadal gained 14 at one venue, at a time when his two chief rivals have been among the many three greatest gamers in historical past.
The place was hopping as Nadal served to go up 5–4. This was not only a favored adopted son making an attempt to win a second-round match on the Olympics; it was an icon and his followers holding palms and making an attempt to tug one another ahead.
The environment would have brought on most opponents to topple, however Djokovic merely teetered. Djokovic broke Nadal with a backhand drop shot, then served out the match. The ultimate level was a ruthless ace from the advert court docket: Au revoir, Rafa, or adios—whichever you like.
Afterward, Nadal politely acknowledged the consequences of age however refused to provide into them.
“I used to be not in a position to have sufficient high quality of photographs, sufficient high quality of motion,” Nadal stated. “He was enjoying virtually on a regular basis from comfy positions, and he performed fairly properly. So enjoying towards Novak with out creating injury to him, and with out having the legs of 20 years in the past, it is virtually not possible now.”
It could have been good if Djokovic had the identical sense of the second. As a substitute, after hugging Nadal, Djokovic pretended to play his racquet like a violin.
Like most of Djokovic’s unforced conduct errors, the foundation trigger was not malice. It was obliviousness. To most sports activities followers, pretending to play the violin is a approach of mocking those that are unhappy and emotional. However Djokovic has achieved the violin celebration all summer time for his daughter, who has taken up the instrument.
A extra socially savvy celebrity would have acknowledged that regardless that he gained, the second belonged to Nadal, and all he needed to do was not step on it. Then once more, a extra socially savvy celebrity would have provide you with a distinct celebration within the first place, simply so no one would mistake the message. Absolutely there are methods for Djokovic to attach along with his daughter with out irritating anyone else.
Djokovic isn’t any villain. He’s a relentless competitor and a gracious loser, and he might be charming and even candy. He has a mood, however tennis has seen far worse; Djokovic’s moments of on-court petulance would have earned Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe factors for good habits.
Djokovic simply has a exceptional tendency to make himself look unhealthy on the most inopportune occasions. He engages with hecklers, or within the case of Casper Ruud’s followers at Wimbledon, individuals Djokovic imagines to be hecklers. He mocks the celebrations of opponents who’re nowhere close to his equal, as he did with Ben Shelton eventually yr’s U.S. Open.
Djokovic grew to become one of the best participant on the planet after most followers had already fallen for Nadal or Federer—or each. So admiration got here later than it ought to have, and his anti-vaccination stance alienated a whole lot of followers. If he resents being one of the best participant ever however the third-favorite of his technology, that’s his proper.
However Djokovic might have achieved himself a favor Monday by trying throughout at Nadal and realizing that shall be him earlier than lengthy. He’s 37. As Nadal stated after the match, talking solely of his personal inevitable retirement: “That is a part of life. Every thing has a starting, the whole lot has an finish.” Mass affection would come Djokovic’s approach if solely he would let it.
“I at all times really feel like [I’m] enjoying at residence after I play right here,” Nadal stated after the match. “It is so particular for me. I can not thank sufficient all of the individuals right here who made me really feel so particular.”
Nadal was requested about if this was the tip, and his reply was predictable, as a result of he has given it many occasions earlier than: He doesn’t know, and the rationale he doesn’t know is as a result of he nonetheless loves tennis. Not simply successful matches. Not simply the trimmings of success. He loves enjoying. He loves the expertise of it. He loves when it’s onerous. And that’s the reason he’s beloved.