Was going to be Roland Garros the scene of the final battle. It was expected on these dates Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal fighting for exclusivity in the men’s circuit. A Djokovic-Nadal, in Paris, to decide who would be able to break the tie in this race for excellence that began almost twenty years ago. But the body boycotted the Spanish in January and he has not been able to make it to the appointment. So only Djokovic attends the duel, clearing his path from his archenemy, with the unique opportunity to add the 23rd Grand Slam. And in Nadal’s garden.
The Serbian has done his homework in these two weeks in which he has been getting rid of opponents of different levels (Kovacevic, Fucsovics, Davidovich, Varillas, Khachanov and Alcaraz) before the big event on Sunday (today, 3:00 p.m., Eurosport) , where he will face Casper Ruud. The Norwegian, an outstanding student at the Nadal Academy, has had a perhaps easier path if we look at the ranking of his rivals: Ymer, Zeppieri, Zhizhen, Jarry, Rune and Zverev; but he has shown that he has enough tennis, confidence and quality to sneak into his third Grand Slam final, the second in Paris after the one against Nadal last year.
By numbers, of course, there is no comparison. There are Djokovic’s 22 great titles, his 34 finals in 70 Grand Slams played, the 4-0 he has against the Norwegian (Masters 1,000 in Rome 2020: 7-5 and 6-3; Masters Cup 2021: 7-6 (4) and 6-2; Rome 2022: 6-4 and 6-3; Masters Cup 2022: 7-5 and 6-3), that aura of superiority that was already placed on the shoulders in the match against Alcaraz and an infinite technical, strategic and mental toolbox with which to face each encounter.
The Serbian has won the last two Grand Slams he has played: Wimbledon and the Australian Open (he did not play the US Open as he was unable to travel due to not having the coronavirus vaccine). The last loss in a major tournament was in the 2022 Roland Garros semifinals, against Rafael Nadal. And he wants to continue adding integers at this end of his career, supported both by the absence of his two most difficult enemies, and by his ability to adapt to all circumstances, rivals, times and ages.
Ruud is the only one that separates him from exclusivity (in the ATP). Of those 23 Grand Slams that would remain one of the limit of all the things that Margaret Court has been marking for a long time. The Norwegian comes off an irregular season, but he has already shown that he moves wonderfully on the Parisian clay. Correct in the game and patient with him, he does not, however, have a definitive blow nor is he characterized by overflowing the rivals from the bottom. But he does make them dizzy well, and he holds his own with confidence.
In a tennis match anything can happen. Some cramps or that from so much superiority that one gives off, you end up playing a bad game. Djokovic experienced it in 2015. His Roland Garros was spectacular, victory over Nadal in the semifinals, but defeat against Stan Wawrinka in the final. That is why he goes with the Serbian low profile, who already has experience of all colors: «I am proud of what I have achieved, but I try to be in the present. I know that my work is not finished and I still have another game. «I am in another ideal situation to win a Grand Slam-he added-, it is what wakes me up in the morning and what I plan to achieve each season. The Grand Slams is what moves me. I won one this year (Australia) and I’m in the final of the second, I can’t ask for more. Records are always up for grabs, but I need to win to ensure I’m on that list.” A list that he hopes to lead alone.
2023-06-11 01:02:31
#Ruud #Djokovic #exclusivity
