Djokovic wins emotional away game against Nadal
Rafael Nadal Finds His Match: In the Olympic singles, the Spaniard loses the epic duel against Novak Djokovic in the second round in his backyard, Roland Garros. The Serb is the better player for most of the match, but Nadal provides a few iconic moments. However, it's not enough in the end.
Novak Djokovic has won a one-sided epic duel against Rafael Nadal at the Olympics. The 37-year-old Grand Slam record champion from Serbia defeated his eternal rival from Spain 6:1, 6:4 in the "living room" of Nadal and reached the round of 16 in Paris. For the 14-time French Open champion Nadal, who fought back with his relentless fighting spirit in the second set, this could have been his last singles match on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Djokovic seemed like the clear winner for most of the match, leading 4:0 in the second set. But Nadal created some spectacular rallies that provided a few iconic moments and great emotions for the spectators who were clearly on his side. In the end, Djokovic extended his narrow lead to 31:29 in their 60th career meeting and ended Nadal's medal hopes. The long-time clay court king now has to focus on the doubles with Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic, who recently lost the Wimbledon final to Alcaraz, remains in the game and is increasingly targeting his big goal of Olympic gold. A triumph at the world event has so far eluded the major record champion, unlike his great rivals Roger Federer and Nadal. He has a bronze medal from 2008, when Nadal won the big prize in Beijing. Eight years later, the Spaniard also won gold in the doubles in Rio.
Despite his valiant efforts, Rafael Nadal was unable to secure a victory in the Olympic singles against Novak Djokovic in 2024, marking a challenging finale in his home tournament at Roland Garros. Consequently, Djokovic advances to the round of 16 in his pursuit of Olympic gold at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris.
