Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal; neither concedes rivalry over

PARIS — Novak Djokovic, who received, and Rafael Nadal, who misplaced, met on the internet and hugged after enjoying on the Paris Olympics within the sixtieth — and fairly presumably final — installment of a record-breaking and infrequently riveting rivalry between two tennis greats who share a mutual respect if not an in depth friendship.

This 6-1, 6-4 victory for Djokovic got here within the second spherical of the Summer season Video games slightly than a Grand Slam ultimate, like 9 earlier head-to-head encounters, and it was not essentially the most scintillating contest, apart from for a 20-minute interlude within the second set, when Nadal’s ultimate push made issues briefly aggressive after he ceded 10 of the preliminary 11 video games.

Afterward, neither Nadal, who’s 38, nor Djokovic, 37, was prepared to concede they will not play one another once more, even when it appears unlikely they may. Nadal actually appears near retirement; he has had two injury-filled seasons, wanted hip surgical procedure a bit of greater than a yr in the past, and spoke in 2023 about 2024 being his farewell.

However he is not completed at these Olympics, pairing with Carlos Alcaraz in doubles for Spain, and stated Monday he was a bit bored with getting requested each day about his future.

“I can’t reside each single day with the sensation that it will be, or not going to be, my final match. I come right here, I strive my finest, I play. And once I determine to cease enjoying, or once I determine to maintain going, I’ll let you understand. I do not know,” Nadal stated. “If I really feel that I’m not aggressive sufficient to maintain going or bodily I’m not … able to preserve going, I’ll cease, and I’ll let you understand.”

What was clear for the primary 1½ hours towards Djokovic is that Nadal was diminished, nowhere close to the expert, hustling model of himself that received a document 14 French Open trophies on the identical purple clay at Roland Garros that’s internet hosting Summer season Video games matches.

He acknowledged as a lot after leaving Court docket Philippe Chatrier, the place followers repeatedly tried to encourage him with chants of “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!”

“Enjoying towards Novak with out creating harm to him, and with out having the legs of 20 years in the past, is sort of unattainable,” stated Nadal, whose proper thigh has been taped up for his matches in Paris.

Djokovic was requested whether or not this would possibly mark the top of head-to-head competitors between the pair.

“After all it may be, however we do not know that. It actually is dependent upon many alternative elements,” Djokovic stated. “I simply hope for the sake of our rivalry, and the game, generally, that we’ll get to face one another as soon as, possibly a couple of instances, on totally different surfaces, in numerous elements of the world, as a result of I really feel like it could actually solely profit the game. However I do not know the way he feels in his physique, what his plans are.”

Djokovic additionally dismissed the concept of a “brotherhood” with Nadal, whereas acknowledging his respect and appreciation for his rival and his profession.

“It is powerful to be shut, actually best rivals, and you do not wish to possibly give insights to your life or the best way you are feeling and stuff as a result of that may possibly expose you and stuff,” Djokovic stated. “I suppose that is one of many the explanation why possibly we did not join so shut and I do not assume at that degree you may actually join so near anyone, however who is aware of when the profession ends for each of us. It is a lengthy life hopefully for each of us, and [we’re] each household individuals and hopefully we will handle the totally different facet of [our] relationship and mirror on issues that we went [through] collectively, that we lived collectively, the particular moments otherwise.”

Djokovic owns 24 Grand Slam titles and Nadal 22, the 2 highest males’s totals within the century-plus historical past of the game. Each have been ranked No. 1, and no pair of males has performed one another extra typically within the skilled period. They’re two-thirds of the so-called huge three of males’s tennis, together with Roger Federer, who retired with 20 Slam titles, a cohort that loved unprecedented success and prompted countless debates about which is the GOAT.

However Nadal, a gold medalist in singles and doubles at previous Olympics, and Djokovic, who says including a gold to his in any other case glittering résumé is a precedence, are accustomed to assembly within the latter phases of occasions. It occurred a lot earlier this time as a result of whereas Djokovic is the highest seed on the Olympics, Nadal’s rating is outdoors the highest 150 on account of a scarcity of matches.

“I can’t reside each single day with the sensation that it will be, or not going to be, my final match. I come right here, I strive my finest, I play. And once I determine to cease enjoying, or once I determine to maintain going, I’ll let you understand.”

Rafael Nadal

The place was packed, from the press seats the place there was jostling for area, to the very best spots within the higher deck for what felt like a historic event. Rapper Snoop Dogg sat beside tennis icon Billie Jean King; Vogue editor Anna Wintour was with movie director Baz Luhrmann.

“You can really feel the stress coming into the match, but in addition unbelievable hype, unbelievable environment,” Djokovic stated. “There was loads of curiosity for this match. Individuals needed to see it reside. Individuals needed to see it on the TV as properly. I used to be simply very proud to be a part of this match.”

Different males shifting into the third spherical included Alcaraz, Casper Ruud of Norway and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.

After a ho-hum stretch, Nadal lastly bought going, reworking it into one thing aggressive, which absolutely nobody — least of all Djokovic — discovered too stunning.

“When you give him time, he can damage you. We all know that. I’ve skilled that previously,” Djokovic stated. “I began to hesitate a bit of on my shot. He stepped in. The gang bought concerned.”

Nadal captured 4 consecutive video games within the second set, together with a forehand winner to interrupt to make it 4-all. He raised his left fist, drawing roars from the stands.

That’s when Djokovic regained management. He broke proper again, pointing to his left ear whereas strolling to the sideline as if to taunt Nadal’s supporters, and served out the victory.

A part of Nadal’s troubles Monday was not being in tip-top form. And a part of the issue, to make sure, was that Djokovic was largely the perfect model of himself, placing the ball crisply, placing it proper the place he needed and infrequently utilizing drop pictures to arrange winners and pressure Nadal to run rather a lot.

“He performed a lot better than me,” Nadal stated, “[from] the start to the top.”

ESPN’s D’Arcy Maine and The Related Press contributed to this report.