PARIS – At the request of tennis fans and any lover of the sport: Nadal versus Djokovic, 60th edition.
At the request even of the Serbian tennis player himself, who gave the media a message to the the Spaniard after winning in the opener: “I’ve done my part of the job”.
Nadal defeated Marton Fucsovics in a back-and-forth match. The Spaniard was blistering in the first set and was that same player who countless times crushed over his opponents at the Philippe Chatrier.
But this is not Roland Garros.
There is something in the atmosphere that makes everything different. It is another tournament, it is played to the best of three sets and there is less margin for mistakes. There is an on-court DJ who gets the crowd chanting Les Champs-Elysées while Nadal takes a toilet break. A different crowd too, but still very friendly to Nadal.
The Spaniard is not the same who won 14 times there either, and the second and third sets were proof of that.
And although the Olympic Games are not his favorite Grand Slam, Nadal imposed his fighting spirit when the unforced errors were sinking him; he showed his good defense when the Hungarian was coming over him.
The 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win gave Nadal his first singles victory on his favorite scenario in more than two years, after several days with doubts whether he would compete or not, in which he suffered discomfort in the adductor and problems in his left hand; after adding more chapters of the repeated history of uncertainty, and to evaluate whether it was not better to save 100% for the doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
His triumph also gives tennis another episode of a clash between two of the greatest tennis players in history.
“It will be a spectacle if we get to meet each other. I hope there will be fireworks on the court, like in the old days…. I hope we meet because it will probably be a last dance for both of us,” Djokovic said once the draw was known.
“The last dance? Who said it will be the last dance?” responded Nadal, who has signaled he will still be playing in 2025.
Whether it is the last chapter or not, the rivalry that has met on various stages, surfaces and tournaments will provide a new duel. On the court where Nadal leads with eight wins, against two for the Serb.
But this is not Roland Garros. It is the Olympic Games: best of three sets, in the last Olympic experience of Nadal, and looking for the gold medal, the prize that Djokovic most desires.
And that makes the excitement increase to unexpected levels.
