Iga Swiatek: Remember that name
Djokovic senses chance over Nadal
Novak Djokovic has suffered more than his fair share of heartache against Rafael Nadal at the French Open, but today’s final offers him a chance to dethrone the claycourt king.
The 33-year-old Serb leads their extraordinary rivalry 29-26, but Nadal has won six of their seven clashes at Roland Garros, including the 2012 and 2014 finals.
Victory for Djokovic would earn him an 18th grand slam title.
Nadal, who has dominated the claycourt major for over a decade, will be eyeing a record-extending 13th Roland Garros title and a record-equalling 20th grand slam crown.
Only two defeats at Roland Garros
The second-seeded Spaniard has lost only two of 101 matches at Roland Garros, one of them against Djokovic in the quarterfinals in 2015. The Serbian, however, has lost to Nadal twice in the final in 2012 and 2014, and four other times in earlier rounds.
World No 2 Nadal said none of that will matter today.
“Different circumstances, different kind of tournament and different situation,” the 34-year-old said. “I can’t predict the future... The only thing I know is to play against Novak, I need to play my best. Without playing my best tennis, the situation is very difficult.”
No other player knows court Philippe Chatrier quite as well as Nadal does. “I know that is a court that I have been playing well for such a long time, so that helps,” he said.
He believes, however, he will need to step up a gear against Djokovic.
“For Sunday [today] it’s not enough. I need to make another step forward. That’s what I’m looking for. I am going to work hard
to try to make that happen,” he said.
Djokovic won their last encounter on the Parisian clay in the 2015 quarterfinals and believes today’s final offers him an opportunity to get the better of the Spaniard again, even if he says playing Nadal on clay remains the toughest challenge in tennis.
“Obviously the conditions are different than the ones that we are used to playing in May and June,” Djokovic said.
“I think that could be a better chance for me, obviously the ball not bouncing as high over the shoulder as he likes it usually. I mean, look, regardless of the conditions, he’s still there, he’s Rafa, he’s in the finals, we’re playing on clay.”
Had it not been for Djokovic’s default at the US Open for striking a line judge with a ball swatted away in frustration during a fourth-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta, the Serbian might have been starting today’s showdown with a total of 18 grand slam titles, one behind Nadal and two short of Roger Federer.
Greatest of all time
Victory would see him close the gap, but defeat would leave him three shy of both of them in the race for “greatest of all time” status. The stakes are huge, but Djokovic says it is not the biggest match he has played in his career.
“Finals of a grand slam is always huge,” the world No 1 said. “But I don’t think it’s the biggest match that I have ever played in my life. I think there were some bigger ones.
“In terms of importance, I mean, if I have to compare, even though I don’t like, probably the first Wimbledon final that I actually played against him (in 2011). Wimbledon was always the one that I wanted to win as a kid and dreamed of winning.” —