Novak Djokovic put on an incredible display, but still lost to the king of clay
Novak Djokovic turned in his best performance of the year, but it wasn’t good enough to stop the Nadal train at the Italian Open.
Novak Djokovic has had a tough year, but has managed to turn things around in the last few tournaments, coming into his stride during the clay events after a dismal hard court season. At the Italian Open, it seemed as if the Serb was back to his vintage self, dispatching sensational Alexandr Dolgopolov and Kei Nishikori to make it to the semis, only to face the greatest clay court player, Rafael Nadal.
Still, it almost happened in that first set. Djokovic hit more winners than Rafa. But still he lost the set in a tie-break. That’s how good that set was. Nadal just hit a fraction of less unforced errors and was able to walk away with the victory, winning 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. Even though it only went two sets, the quality of tennis lived up to all expectations, with incredible rallies throughout.
“That was a tough battle, a good level of tennis, a combination of good tactics and great shots from both of us,” Nadal said after the match.
The high-quality level of play prompted a standing ovation afterwards and certainly proved to be an excellent notch in their rivalry record, which Nadal has now narrowed to 25-26, almost even with Djokovic, in their 51st meeting.
Even Nole voiced his appreciation for the inspirational play both old rivals put on, especially with that hard-fought, close first set.
“It was a really good quality match,” Djokovic said according to ESPN. “I enjoyed it.”
Reaching the semis in Rome — the last tournament before the French Open — is an excellent sign for the 12-time grand slam champ. Winning at Roland Garros was the crowning achievement for the Serb, the last grand slam he won before his slump due to his serious elbow injury. Gaining momentum at the Rome Masters should provide the 31 year-old with some fresh motivation to push through at the French Open.
“I can only take positives from this week,” said Djokovic afterwards. “I didn’t really expect anything coming into this tournament, when it comes to results, because I didn’t have many great results in the last period. I’m pleased with how I’ve played [in the] past three days, very pleased.”
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Rome is the first time we’ve seen some true signs of Novak Djokovic getting back to his old self, playing competitive matches with the energetic fight that helped propel him to the Big Four of tennis. With the positives at the Italian Open, Djokovic has established himself as a real contender for another French Open title. Although with Rafa playing this well, the title is likely to become his incredible 11th.
That said, Djokovic is starting to look great for the U.S. Open.