For the best part of two decades, Rafael Nadal has dominated the courts of Roland Garros like no tennis player has at any other tournament in the history of the sport. He has won the French Open 14 times, triumphing in 112 of his first 115 matches there. During certain periods, Nadal on Court Philippe-Chatrier has felt like the closest thing to an unbeatable force. A towering steel statue of the Spaniard now sits permanently in the tournament grounds even as he continues to play.
It is possible, though, that he has now played his final singles match on the courts that have defined his career. On Monday afternoon, rather than mutually elevating each other as they have so many other times in the past, the 60th meeting between Novak Djokovic and Nadal proved a total mismatch as the Serbian completely dismantled his old rival 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the Olympic Games.
From the second an unseeded Nadal was drawn into the path of Djokovic, the top seed, this was always going to be a moment. Even before the players emerged from the holding room, the stands were full and press seats had devolved into mayhem, with so many people desperate to catch a glimpse of a legendary rivalry.
But this was never going to be like the battles of old, where the two rivals pushed each other to their physical, mental and emotional limits as equals. In his sixth tournament back after being largely absent from the tour for 16 months after hip surgery and a variety of other injuries, the 38-year-old Nadal entered the court as a total underdog. Since his return, he has struggled to find his level again and in the build-up to the tournament had also been struggling with a thigh injury, his body still not allowing him to perform.
The disparity between their level and physical shape was instantly clear. As Djokovic forced himself inside the baseline, taking time from Nadal by hitting the ball on the rise off both sides, Nadal’s movement was sluggish and his lack of depth was punished as unforced errors flowed from his racket.
Nadal’s career has been underscored by enduring spirit, composure and mental toughness. Even as the match seemed to be heading for an excruciating conclusion, he refused to allow himself any negative emotions.
After 70 minutes of flawless tennis from Djokovic, an opportunity arose. At 6-1, 4-0, the top seed finally felt the nerves. A couple of Djokovic errors turned into a break for Nadal and suddenly the momentum had shifted. At break point for 4-4, the Spaniard produced one more moment of total brilliance, retrieving a Djokovic smash before closing the point with a searing forehand winner as a roaring crowd collectively saluted him. The fightback did not last long. Djokovic quickly steadied himself and won the final two games to close out the match.
