Game, Set, Match: Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics

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PARIS — Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-4 on Monday in the second round of the men’s singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics at Roland Garros.

In the 60th meeting between two of the greatest tennis players of all time, who have 46 Grand Slam titles to their name between them, Djokovic showed Nadal no mercy. It was the biggest test of the Spaniard’s level since 2022, when he won the French Open on this same court by beating Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

Despite a stunning four-game winning streak in the second set, in which Nadal showed flashes of his old self and exploited the scar tissue he has inflicted on Djokovic over the years, the Serb recovered to take the second set.

Djokovic now leads Nadal 31-29 in his head-to-head match, continuing his quest for an Olympic gold medal, the only major tennis honor that still eludes him.

The Athletics Writers Charlie Eccleshare and Matt Futterman analyse the match and its significance.

How could Djokovic show that he was ruthless with his drop shot?

For almost anyone who watched this once-strong rivalry suddenly turn into a bust, it was hard not to feel sympathy for Nadal.

That wasn’t the case for Djokovic, and for good reason. Not only does he have an Olympic gold medal to win, but he’s suffered more heartbreak at the hands of Nadal on this court than most, losing to him eight times.

Djokovic likely could have beaten Nadal no matter how he played, as the Spaniard was unable to reach the required level against the Wimbledon finalist, but Djokovic made sure to occasionally exploit the 14-time Roland Garros champion’s most glaring weaknesses. Djokovic took ruthless advantage of Nadal’s movement with a series of devastatingly effective drop shots, and while Nadal did chase down a few of them, there were plenty more that he couldn’t get close to.

Djokovic was able to maneuver Nadal over the entire court Philippe-Chatrier (Juanjo Martin/Sipa USA)

Nadal’s first-round opponent, Marton Fucsovics, had also tried the tactic, a fairly obvious one against an injury-plagued 38-year-old, but Djokovic’s drop shot is in a different league to the Hungarian’s. In the Wimbledon final earlier this month, Djokovic had suffered at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz with the same stroke. This time, he reveled in being the man to dish out punishment rather than take it, even using it to restore order and take a 5-4 lead in the second set after Nadal had made the match more competitive.

Charlie Eccleshare

Two years summarized in one point

The biggest problem for Nadal in this latest, and perhaps final, comeback is his vulnerability on his serve. Initially, it was the weakest part of his game, but he worked hard to turn it into a weapon, learning how to rotate his body to maximize his power and acquiring the kind of precision placement that makes so many of his next shots even more deadly.

The injuries to his midriff and back over the past two years have contributed to his rapid decline, and against the greatest returner in the history of the game, that seemed to be a problem.

The warning sign that this could be an ugly afternoon for Nadal came in the very first game. With Nadal facing a break point, he hit a 115mph serve, one of his hardest of the day, into the middle of the court. Against many players, the ball doesn’t come back.

Nadal’s serve couldn’t derail Djokovic’s prestigious comeback (Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images via Getty Images)

Djokovic stretched and hit a forehand to Nadal’s feet. Nadal missed his forehand wide after it had been tipped over the net, and Djokovic had the advantage of never giving up. It was a microcosm of Nadal’s afternoon. Too many soft serves, so many difficult returns, and so many mistakes on shots he had no time to prepare for.

Matt Futterman

How did Nadal complete that four-match streak?

With Djokovic leading 6-1, 4-0, Nadal was hoping above all that he could avoid a bagel set from the Serb for the first time in his career.

He managed to do this by holding his serve until 4-1, and everyone at Chatrier breathed a sigh of relief.

Then things got a bit weird. Djokovic, who had been so solid all match, threw a terrible game and double-faulted on break point, cutting the lead to 4-2.

A minor aberration perhaps, but at 4-3 Djokovic suddenly found himself facing scoreboard pressure for the first time in the match. Not just against everyone, but against the best clay court player of all time and his biggest rival.

Nadal recovered for part of the second set, but it wasn’t enough (Getty Images)

Suddenly it was Nadal using the drop shot to take Djokovic’s legs away instead of the other way around, and it was the Serb missing routine shots. Djokovic’s tension was most painfully visible when he botched a smash that allowed Nadal to connect with an easy forehand to break for 4-4 — a shot that has haunted him countless times since.

What on earth had just happened? Nadal certainly raised his game, but on a sweaty day in Paris, it really felt like a rare case of Djokovic feeling the heat. Sure enough, the spell was broken in the next game when Djokovic broke to lead 5-4. He served out the next game, leaving those desperately hoping for this match to become a contest wondering what had happened.

Charlie Eccleshare

One of the best tennis courts, but not the best opportunity

Court Philippe-Chatrier had all the atmosphere of a grand event.

Blue skies. Hot sun. A standing-room-only audience.

Nadal and Djokovic battle on the court.

What unfolded was something far more typical of Djokovic’s second-round matchups, not just because of the lopsided scoreline, but also because of the way he overwhelmed his opponent. The same things that so often happen to these unfortunate souls also befell Nadal on Monday afternoon.

Djokovic ended Nadal’s serve, forcing him to backpedal instead of entering the court.

Court Philippe-Chatrier was the scene of the duo’s biggest matches (Picture Alliance via Getty Images)

He made him play extra ball after extra ball until Nadal did what all the other poor souls do: try to hit the perfect shot from a position on the court where it’s a nearly impossible task. Nadal swung wildly all afternoon from a few feet behind the baseline. He tried to hit winners from outside the sideline. In a typical match, he might hit a few of those shots, but not many, even when he’s at his best.

Djokovic meanwhile served and pushed forward, getting easy shots on balls around the service line from survival shots. He minimized his mistakes, especially since his opponent didn’t force him to hit too many shots from error prone areas of the court.

It all made for a great spectacle, but apart from a few stunning points and a late flair from Nadal who was 4-1 down in the second round, it wasn’t really a tennis match. That’s pretty much what happens to Djokovic in his second round.

Matt Futterman

How is Nadal doing in doubles?

Considering that Nadal was underperforming for most of the match, it is understandable that we are concerned about his chances of doing well in the doubles against Carlos Alcaraz.

Doubles, however, is a different story than the mighty Djokovic in singles. And assuming he doesn’t suffer a new injury, Nadal could still compete with the Wimbledon and French Open champion.

As Andy Murray showed on Sunday night, it is possible to be far removed from the singles and still pack a punch in doubles. Nadal is in far better physical shape than Murray, so let’s hope he can lift himself up and experience some joy — and that will be the hope of the wider tennis world, too, desperate to see Nadal make some more memories at the venue he has dominated for the past two decades.

GO DEEPER

How Andy Murray Survived Five Match Points – and Saved His Tennis Career – in Paris

Charlie Eccleshare

What did Rafael Nadal say after the match?

After the media activities we bring you his quotes.

What did Novak Djokovic say after the match?

“Maybe I got a little too comfortable there and played a sloppy service game.

“You can’t give Nadal any chances, he’s going to use them – he’s going to come back – especially on this court.”

“I think there was a lot of interest in our match on the court today… It’s a shame for him that he wasn’t at his best, but I did everything I could to make him uncomfortable.”

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(Top photo: Andrzej Iwanczuk / NurPhoto via Getty Images)