Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-4 in their highly anticipated Olympic match on Monday, as the two titans clashed for the 60th and possibly final time.
The match between the two most successful men’s tennis players in history seemed to be petering out until Nadal’s late comeback spared him from his heaviest-ever defeat to Djokovic.
“I’m very relieved,” Djokovic said. “Everything was going my way; I was 6-1, 4-0 up, but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances.”
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, secured his 31st win in a rivalry that began in 2006 on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
“You could feel the tension coming into the match, but also incredible hype and an incredible atmosphere on the court,” Djokovic remarked afterwards.
“I never thought back in 2006 that we’d still be playing each other nearly 20 years later.”
Nadal confessed Djokovic was the “clear favourite” ahead of their first encounter in over two years, with the Spaniard now a shadow of the player who ruled Roland Garros for more than two decades.
While 14 of Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles have come in Paris, the 38-year-old has been hampered by injuries in recent years, dropping to 161st in the world rankings.
His participation in the singles in Paris had been uncertain until the last minute.
Djokovic’s season has not been particularly successful by his high standards, but the 37-year-old Serb rose to the occasion in his pursuit of an elusive Olympic gold medal.
The top seed raced to a 5-0 lead before Nadal finally broke through, but Djokovic finished off the set and surged to a 4-0 lead in the second until Nadal showed some late fight.
Nadal battled his way back to 4-4, only for Djokovic to break again, this time making no mistake and dispatching his old opponent, potentially putting an end to one of the sport’s greatest rivalries.
Djokovic, who earned a bronze medal in his Olympic debut in 2008, will face Germany’s Dominik Koepfer in the quarterfinals.
Nadal will concentrate on doubles, where he will make an ideal team with compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz, the reigning men’s French Open and Wimbledon champion, will meet Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the singles later Monday.