By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 29, 2024
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have come together to create major history and rivalry revelry.
The top-seeded Djokovic cruised through 10 of the first 11 games then withstood a late charge sweeping Nadal 6-1, 6-4 in their record-extending 60th career clash at the Olympics on Roland Garros’ red clay today.
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Episode 60 of the most prolific rivalry in ATP history concluded with Djokovic scoring his 31st win over Nadal nearly 18 years after they faced off for the first time.
After a post-match embrace, the Grand Slam king shared his wish for the King of Clay.
Djokovic hopes he and Nadal will face off again in a Grand Slam, but conceded this match may have closed the curtain on their epic rivalry.
“It may be the case but we don’t know,” Djokovic said when asked if this was the final clash between the iconic champions. “It depends on a lot of factors, especially if we continue and if we participate in the same tournaments. I think we both want to play the Grand Slams and the big tournaments. I don’t know, we may be very selective. Well, that’s what I’m going to do on my side.”
When 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic and 22-time major title holder Nadal square off, the entire sports world watches.
The electric energy reverberating throughout Court Philippe Chatrier is an experience Djokovic hopes to feel again facing his rival Nadal across the net.
“I hope, for the sake of our rivalry and the sport in general, that we will play each other again one or more times on different surfaces, in different places in the world,” Djokovic told the media in Paris. “Because I feel that it can only benefit our sport. I don’t know how he feels in his body, what his plans are, but let’s hope we can still compete.”
Parting can be painful.
These Paris Olympic Games marks Andy Murray’s final professional appearance and may well be Nadal’s curtain call, though the 38-year-old Spanish superstar is on the entry list for the US Open and Laver Cup. If both Murray and Nadal call it quits after Paris that would leave Djokovic as the lone member of the Big 4 still competing.
Though today’s victory may well mark the end of an era, Djokovic says the Big 4 can all look back with pleasure and pride on what they achieved individually and collectively.
“It’s sad but at the same time there are so many wonderful moments in matches, milestones we can celebrate when it comes to each one of us—and us as a group—the rivalries,” Djokovic said earlier this season. “And one of the greatest rivalries if not the greatest rivalries the sport has seen between the three, four of us.”
Still, when the curtain closes on the careers of all four Big 4 champions, Djokovic says they will share a common connectivity for life: Their shared commitment to growing the sport.
“There’s new kids on the block so to say with Alcaraz, Sinner, Rune they are leaders of the next, next generation,” Djokovic said. “Obviously, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Zverev, these guys are still Top 5, Top 10 in the world. These guys are amazing.
“I think tennis is in good hands. Hopefully the contributions we made in the last 20 years can serve the purpose of expanding on the popularity of tennis and growing the sport. The bottom line is that we want that.
“We are all passionate about the sport. We all want to see the sport grow.”
