Serbia’s Novak Djokovic put on a masterful performance to defeat Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-4 in their Olympic second-round match, advancing in his quest for a coveted gold medal.
On the clay courts of Roland Garros, the 37-year-old Djokovic displayed his exceptional form, quickly taking control and dominating much of the match. He built a 4-0 lead in the second set, though Nadal, 38, fought back to level the score.
Despite this, Djokovic reasserted his dominance, breaking Nadal’s serve at 5-4 to secure the win.
“I’m very relieved,” Djokovic admitted post-match. “Everything was going my way. I was 6-1, 4-0 up but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances.”
Nadal, known as the King of Clay with 14 French Open titles, was unable to counter Djokovic’s outstanding performance.
The two legends, who have now faced each other 60 times, shared a heartfelt embrace at the net, with Djokovic applauding Nadal off the court. Since their first encounter in 2006, Djokovic leads their head-to-head record 31-29.
Reflecting on their long-standing rivalry, Djokovic said, “I never imagined back in 2006 that we’d still be playing against each other almost 20 years later.”
While Djokovic has accumulated 24 Grand Slam titles and won every ATP Masters event, the Olympic gold medal remains one of the few major accolades missing from his collection. As he continues his quest for Olympic success, Djokovic is determined to add this prestigious title to his illustrious career.
