PARIS — Novak Djokovic, who received, and Rafael Nadal, who misplaced, met on the web and hugged after taking part in on the Paris Olympics within the sixtieth — and fairly probably final — installment of a record-breaking and sometimes riveting rivalry between two tennis greats who share a mutual respect if not a detailed friendship.
This 6-1, 6-4 victory for Djokovic got here within the second spherical of the Summer time Video games moderately than a Grand Slam ultimate, like 9 earlier head-to-head encounters, and it was not essentially the most scintillating contest, apart from for a 20-minute interlude within the second set, when Nadal’s ultimate push made issues briefly aggressive after he ceded 10 of the preliminary 11 video games.
Afterward, neither Nadal, who’s 38, nor Djokovic, 37, was prepared to concede they will not play one another once more, even when it appears unlikely they’ll. Nadal actually appears near retirement; he has had two injury-filled seasons, wanted hip surgical procedure just a little greater than a 12 months in the past, and spoke in 2023 about 2024 being his farewell.
However he is not completed at these Olympics, pairing with Carlos Alcaraz in doubles for Spain, and mentioned Monday he was a bit bored with getting requested each day about his future.
“I can not reside each single day with the sensation that it is going to be, or not going to be, my final match. I come right here, I strive my greatest, I play. And after I resolve to cease taking part in, or after I resolve to maintain going, I’ll let you realize. I do not know,” Nadal mentioned. “If I really feel that I’m not aggressive sufficient to maintain going or bodily I’m not … able to preserve going, I’ll cease, and I’ll let you realize.”
What was clear for the primary 1½ hours in opposition to Djokovic is that Nadal was diminished, nowhere close to the expert, hustling model of himself that received a document 14 French Open trophies on the identical crimson clay at Roland Garros that’s internet hosting Summer time Video games matches.
He acknowledged as a lot after leaving Courtroom Philippe Chatrier, the place followers repeatedly tried to encourage him with chants of “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!”
“Enjoying in opposition to Novak with out creating harm to him, and with out having the legs of 20 years in the past, is nearly not possible,” mentioned Nadal, whose proper thigh has been taped up for his matches in Paris.
Djokovic was requested whether or not this would possibly mark the tip of head-to-head competitors between the pair.
“In fact it may be, however we do not know that. It actually is determined by many alternative components,” Djokovic mentioned. “I simply hope for the sake of our rivalry, and the game, normally, that we’ll get to face one another as soon as, perhaps just a few occasions, on completely different surfaces, in numerous elements of the world, as a result of I really feel like it will possibly solely profit the game. However I do not know the way he feels in his physique, what his plans are.”
Djokovic additionally dismissed the concept of a “brotherhood” with Nadal, whereas acknowledging his respect and appreciation for his rival and his profession.
“It is robust to be shut, truthfully biggest rivals, and you do not need to perhaps give insights to your life or the way in which you’re feeling and stuff as a result of that may perhaps expose you and stuff,” Djokovic mentioned. “I suppose that is one of many the explanation why perhaps we did not join so shut and I do not suppose at that stage you may actually join so near anyone, however who is aware of when the profession ends for each of us. It is a lengthy life hopefully for each of us, and [we’re] each household folks and hopefully we will handle the completely different aspect of [our] relationship and replicate on issues that we went [through] collectively, that we lived collectively, the particular moments otherwise.”
Djokovic owns 24 Grand Slam titles and Nadal 22, the 2 highest males’s totals within the century-plus historical past of the game. Each have been ranked No. 1, and no pair of males has performed one another extra usually within the skilled period. They’re two-thirds of the so-called huge three of males’s tennis, together with Roger Federer, who retired with 20 Slam titles, a cohort that loved unprecedented success and prompted limitless debates about which is the GOAT.
However Nadal, a gold medalist in singles and doubles at previous Olympics, and Djokovic, who says including a gold to his in any other case glittering résumé is a precedence, are accustomed to assembly within the latter phases of occasions. It occurred a lot earlier this time as a result of whereas Djokovic is the highest seed on the Olympics, Nadal’s rating is outdoors the highest 150 on account of an absence of matches.
“I can not reside each single day with the sensation that it is going to be, or not going to be, my final match. I come right here, I strive my greatest, I play. And after I resolve to cease taking part in, or after I resolve to maintain going, I’ll let you realize.”
Rafael Nadal
The place was packed, from the press seats the place there was jostling for house, to the very best spots within the higher deck for what felt like a historic event. Rapper Snoop Dogg sat beside tennis icon Billie Jean King; Vogue editor Anna Wintour was with movie director Baz Luhrmann.
“You possibly can really feel the strain coming into the match, but additionally unimaginable hype, unimaginable environment,” Djokovic mentioned. “There was plenty of curiosity for this match. Folks wished to see it reside. Folks wished to see it on the TV as properly. I used to be simply very proud to be a part of this match.”
Different males transferring into the third spherical included Alcaraz, Casper Ruud of Norway and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
After a ho-hum stretch, Nadal lastly received going, reworking it into one thing aggressive, which absolutely nobody — least of all Djokovic — discovered too shocking.
“When you give him time, he can damage you. We all know that. I’ve skilled that previously,” Djokovic mentioned. “I began to hesitate just a little on my shot. He stepped in. The gang received concerned.”
Nadal captured 4 consecutive video games within the second set, together with a forehand winner to interrupt to make it 4-all. He raised his left fist, drawing roars from the stands.
That’s when Djokovic regained management. He broke proper again, pointing to his left ear whereas strolling to the sideline as if to taunt Nadal’s supporters, and served out the victory.
A part of Nadal’s troubles Monday was not being in tip-top form. And a part of the issue, to make sure, was that Djokovic was largely the most effective model of himself, placing the ball crisply, placing it proper the place he wished and infrequently utilizing drop pictures to arrange winners and power Nadal to run lots.
“He performed a lot better than me,” Nadal mentioned, “[from] the start to the tip.”
ESPN’s D’Arcy Maine and The Related Press contributed to this report.