Djokovic extinguishes the flame of a late arrival Nadal to the match

Raquel Bermúdez Rodríguez | 29 Jul 2024 | 15.30

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Novak Djokovic claimed victory against Rafael Nadal in the second-round match of the 2024 Paris Olympics with a score of 6-1 and 6-4 in an hour and 45 minutes. The Spaniard suffered a tough blow, although the dream of a comeback emerged in the second set as he found a high level of play to challenge the Serbian. It is Nole who ultimately advances and now awaits the opponent from the Koepfer-Arnaldi match.

With the Philippe Chatrier stadium completely packed, Rafa and Novak stepped onto the Parisian clay ready to continue making history in sports. Although it seemed like the Spaniard started the match somewhat cold, Nadal quickly found an incisive forehand. Nevertheless, Djokovic controlled the pace, moving Nadal around the court to exploit gaps and gain the advantage.

Djokovic maintains control

From the start, and as expected, every service game for the Spaniard was going to be extremely challenging, with the Serbian pushing him on every shot, displacing him from side to side of the court to find errors, making him approach the net, and always demanding more. The toughness of the game for Rafa was reflected in a 4-0 score in the first set. Nadal's mistakes against Djokovic's precision, with a serving level that also did not help him gain points more easily.

Just one game away from losing the first set, the Spanish player loosened his forehand a bit, gaining some ground also with his backhand, noticeably improving his feelings on the court. There were too many gifts from Nadal to a Djokovic who did not overlook any opportunity, solid from the back of the court and dictating the pace of the exchanges.

Rafa continued to hold on to hope, even celebrating his good shots more, but he was not going to escape easily from an exceptional Djokovic, who could not be criticized for his style of play, continually accumulating points in his favor. Novak thwarted all attempts by his opponent to get back into the match, turning the Spanish comeback into almost a miracle.

Nadal rises from the ashes to create chances

Just when it seemed all over, Rafa fought back from the return to find his first break point of the match, a break that came after a double fault from the Serbian. Although Novak still had the lead on the scoreboard, this was the only real opportunity up to that point for Nadal to fight for the match, thrilling the audience. That's when the second break came, restoring equality in the second set, but Djokovic responded immediately, pushing all limits to the edge.

After a painful first set for Nadal in terms of feelings and result, there was that resilience he showcased in the second set, refusing to give up until the umpire called the score, giving his all on every point. As for Novak, the Serbian delivered a spectacular performance, with hardly any fluctuations and redirecting the match when necessary. Djokovic also managed the emotions of a match that was much more than just a game perfectly. With an ace, the number one seed confirmed his victory.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic apaga la llama de un Nadal que llegaba tarde al partido