Brad Stinethe current coach of Tommy Paul, sees Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal currently heading in different directions.
by Michael Rothschädl
Last edited: 04/08/2023, 10:44 p.m
Novak Djokovic has drawn level with Rafael Nadal. And the French Open of all places, the place of Rafael Nadal’s great dominance, could now become the scene where one of the two exceptional talents could set 23 Grand Slam titles. And thus gain the upper hand again in a direct comparison in the race for the most major titles.
The current constitution, however, could hardly be more different. Djokovic recently stayed away from the ATP tour primarily due to a lack of vaccination certificate, but will open again in Monte Carlo. Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, is absent from the principality. Because the Mallorcan has been plagued by one of numerous injuries in recent months since the Australian Open.
Djokovic with the aura of invincibility
These were also the reason why the Mallorcan had repeatedly suffered difficult defeats on the pitch in the past. And this in turn suggests to Brad Stine, Tommy Paul’s current trainer, that the perception of the Spaniard has changed somewhat. “Nadal has been a lot more vulnerable in the last six or eight months. Nadal is prone to losing at this stage in his life.”
Quite different Novak Djokovic, who still carries “the aura of invincibility” for Brad Stine. Something that Nadal has certainly lost. “Rafa, like we said, is a bit in limbo about where he’s going to go. I think he lost to five Americans in a row or something (…). So, there’s a vulnerability that wasn’t there before was.”
This absence of vulnerability was also a significant difference to the competition. Because with all the others, be it Medvedev, Alcaraz or Sinner, he definitely feels this vulnerability. “I feel like every single one of them is vulnerable.” Only with Novak Djokovic does he not have this feeling.
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