Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal faced each other at the Olympics on Monday in what many believe is the ‘Last Dance’ between the two fierce rivals. As Djokovic was nearing an impressive win against the King of Clay on Philippe-Chatrier, an interesting clip from 2019 resurfaced on social media.
No player has been as dominant as Rafael Nadal on clay, especially at Roland Garros. With a win rate of 95.7%, it wasn’t surprising that Novak Djokovic picked the Spaniard as the player to win a set to save his life. It seemed that the Serb had thought about his question previously as he instantly responded to the interviewer.
“Nadal on clay. Roland Garros… I think, obviously you know why,” Djokovic answered.
One player.
One set.
To save your life?@DjokerNole: Nadal on clay at Roland-Garros ️ pic.twitter.com/hIghknNvlm— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 29, 2024
The former World No.1 wasn’t the only player on tour to pick Nadal. The likes of Dominic Thiem, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger Aliassime, and Borna Coric also trusted their lives in the Mallorca native while answering the same question.
Djokovic’s selection doesn’t come as a surprise. At the time, Nadal had a dominant 6-1 record against him at the French Open.
However, it seems as though Djokovic used that question as a source of motivation. Since that interview, the 24-time Grand Slam champion defeated Nadal twice at Roland Garros – French Open 2021 and Olympics 2024.
Djokovic ends Nadal’s clay court reign
Despite playing in an arena packed with fans who were more on Nadal’s side, Djokovic was dominant in his performance on Monday. The 24-time Grand Slam winner required 1 hour and 43 minutes to win 6-1, 6-4.
Apart from advancing to the third round, Djokovic became the only player in history to bag multiple victories against Nadal at Roland Garros. The number is an impressive 3 considering that the 14-time French Open champion has lost just 5 matches out of the 117 he has played in his career at the venue.
The World No.2’s 31st career win over Nadal has also possibly put an end to the latter’s clay court reign. While Carlos Alcaraz is gradually making a case for the same, it seems difficult for any other player ever to replicate the same success that Nadal witnessed on the red dirt.
