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.
While Nadal will return to compete in doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz, he will have some decisions to make after the Games. Since losing at Roland Garros in June, Nadal has said repeatedly that preparing for the Olympics was his priority and he would not decide his future until the Games were over.
“I have been suffering a lot of injuries the last two years,” he said. “So if I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or physically I’m not ready to keep going, I will stop and I will let you know. But I don’t think every day about if I am retiring or not.”
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While athletes can naturally be evasive about their future plans, Nadal genuinely seems to be unsure about whether or not he should try to extend his career. Since returning to the tour in April it has been clear that he has deeply enjoyed being a tennis player once again, from the daily work in training to travelling with his family. He remains motivated and passionate about his work and he believes that the level he has shown in his matches is not reflective of how he has competed with the top players in practice.
The question is if he truly believes he is capable of performing at the level he desires again and whether his body is able to keep up with the demands he places on it. That was certainly not the case this week as he picked up a thigh injury just days before the tournament he had spent his summer preparing for. While he is not yet ready to make that call, Nadal seemed comfortable with whatever comes next: “If that’s the last match here, I’ll be in peace,” he said. “I did my best and I can’t complain.”
For Djokovic, the tension and anticipation of this occasion will soon be forgotten as he looks forward to round three. The pursuit of an Olympic gold medal, the one significant achievement that has eluded him in his career, continues.
