Rafael Nadal has been the dominant player on the Roland Garros courts for almost 20 years, more than any other tennis player in the tournament’s history. With victories in 112 of his first 115 matches, he has won the French Open 14 times. On Court Philippe-Chatrier, Nadal has occasionally seemed like the closest thing to an invincible force. The Spaniard is now permanently seated in a towering steel monument within the tournament grounds, even though he is still competing.
On the courts that have defined his career, though, it’s probable that he has now engaged in his last singles match. In the second round of the Olympic Games on Monday afternoon, Novak Djokovic totally destroyed Rafael Nadal, a longtime rival, 6-1, 6-4. Rather than building each other up as they have so often in the past, this match proved to be a complete mismatch.
From the time an unseeded Rafael Nadal crossed the path of the top-seeded Djokovic, this match was bound to be historic. The press seats had turned into a chaotic scene even before the players emerged from the holding room, as a large number of fans flocked to see a renowned rivalry.
However, this would never resemble the historical conflicts in which the two adversaries tested one other’s mettle on all fronts—physical, mental, and emotional. The 38-year-old Rafael Nadal started the sixth tournament of his comeback after missing the most of the season due to hip surgery and a number of other problems. In addition to having trouble returning to his previous level since his comeback, he had been dealing with a thigh ailment in the lead-up to the competition, which prevented him from playing at his best.
It was immediately apparent how different their levels and physical characteristics were. When Djokovic pushed his way inside the baseline and took advantage of Nadal’s slow movement by hitting the ball on the rise from both sides, Nadal’s lack of depth was exposed and he began to commit unforced errors with his racket. Nadal’s career has been characterized by his unwavering attitude, calmness, and mental fortitude. Even though it appeared that the match would end in agony, he forbade himself from feeling anything bad.
Following Djokovic’s 70 minutes of faultless tennis, a chance presented itself. Finally, the top seed started to become nervous at 6-1, 4-0. With two mistakes from Djokovic, Nadal broke through, and all of a sudden the momentum was in his favor. As the fans erupted in applause, the Spaniard produced one last act of pure genius at break point for a 4-4 lead. He first recovered a Djokovic smash before winning the point with a scorching forehand. The counterattack was short-lived. After immediately gaining his composure, Djokovic won the next two games to end the match.
After the Games, Rafael Nadal will have to make some decisions, even though he will be joining Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles arena. Nadal has made it clear time and time again since his defeat at Roland Garros in June that his focus is on getting ready for the Olympics and that he will make his decision about his future after the competition.
He remarked, “I have had a lot of injuries over the last two years.” Therefore, I will quit and let you know if I feel that I am not physically ready to continue or that I am not competitive enough to continue. However, I don’t consider whether or not to retire every day.
Even though it’s common for players to be evasive when discussing their future plans, Rafael Nadal seems genuinely unclear about whether he should attempt to prolong his career. It’s evident that he has thoroughly enjoyed playing tennis again since joining the circuit in April, from his daily training schedule to his family vacations. He is still driven and enthusiastic about what he does, and he feels that his performance in matches does not accurately represent how he has practiced competing against the best players.
The real questions are whether he really thinks he can perform at the level he wants to again and whether his body can handle the expectations he puts on it. This week, that was most definitely not the case as he suffered a thigh injury a few days before the competition for which he had trained all summer. Nadal stated, “If that’s the last match here, I’ll be in peace,” indicating that he is not yet prepared to make that decision. “I can’t complain, I did my best.”
Djokovic is excited for round three and will quickly forget the stress and excitement surrounding this occasion. The one major accomplishment in his career that he has yet to secure is an Olympic gold medal, which he is still pursuing.