Olympics24 : Djokovic beats Nadal in the battle of Titans to move to round 3

 

Rafael Nadal had the chance to even the head to head score at 30-30. However, he ended up trailing Novak Djokovic with a head-to-head record of 29-31. In the second round of the singles at the Paris Olympics, Nadal lost to Djokovic 1-6, 4-6. On his beloved Philippe Chatrier Court, Nadal seemed a shadow of his former self. After a 1 hour and 43-minute battle, Djokovic advanced to the third round of the Olympic singles.

Tennis enthusiasts packed the center court at the French Open to witness the Nadal-Djokovic showdown. They anticipated a fierce contest between two of the world's best players competing for their countries. However, 14-time French Open champion Nadal could not meet those expectations. He struggled significantly against Djokovic, and at times, it was hard to tell if Nadal was even playing. The once invincible Nadal on the red clay looked helpless at times.

Djokovic was in his familiar form, fully aware that this Nadal was not the Rafael of old. From the start, he applied pressure on his opponent with powerful tennis. His strong serves, backhand, and forehand were all on display, and his quick court coverage left Nadal trailing behind. Nadal lagged in every aspect of the game. In the first set, Djokovic dominated, winning 6-1 in just 39 minutes.

Despite falling behind, Nadal did not give up the fight. The injury-plagued Spaniard tried to battle evenly in the second set. As usual, the crowd's support was overwhelmingly in Nadal's favor. Tennis enthusiasts tried their best to encourage him continuously. However, defeating an opponent like Djokovic requires more than just encouragement. Nadal couldn't do it. Even though he played better in the second set, he lost 4-6. The second set's battle between the two superstars lasted 1 hour and 4 minutes. Overall, the Nadal-Djokovic match failed to satisfy as it turned out to be a one-sided contest.