Novak Djokovic overcame his great rival Rafael Nadal 6-1 6-4 to reach the third round of the men’s tennis singles at the Paris Olympics.
Nadal, 38, is widely expected to call time on his majestic career at the end of 2024 and this was the 60th meeting between the two all-time greats on the global circuit.
In truth, Djokovic was a beat ahead of his old foe throughout. The recently beaten Wimbledon finalist was untouchable for the first hour as he stormed to the first set and opened up a 4-0 lead in the second.
It looked like a sad way for Nadal to potentially bow out on Court Philippe-Chatrier but the 14-time French Open champion found some of the old magic after slack work capped by a double fault from Djokovic let him back in.
How the Rafole Rivalry looks after Chapter No.60 📖#Paris2024 #Olympics #tennis pic.twitter.com/4YClsOPNwL
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Nadal reeled off four consecutive games to bring a partisan crowd close to boiling point. Djokovic regrouped, finding the backhand that was a brutal weapon all day before outfoxing Nadal with his latest immaculate drop shot to get the decisive break for 5-4.
The 37-year-old served out to stay on course for gold but Nadal at least gave his Paris public a glimpse — probably their last — of his former glories on a singles court. His dream-team doubles partnership with Djokovic’s Wimbledon conqueror Carlos Alcaraz will be the final platform for a little more of that sparkle on this stage.
MORE: Olympic tennis bracket 2024: Full draw, schedule for men’s and women’s singles in Paris
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal final score
12Novak Djokovic (1)*66Rafael Nadal14
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal live updates, highlights from Paris 2024 Olympic Games men’s tennis singles
*Novak Djokovic 6-1 6-4 Rafael Nadal
Djokovic gets up and running unfussily but then clumps a cross-court into the net. They’ve both looked like men in early middle age at times today, albeit geniuses at that stage of life. Anyway, here’s a Djokovic ace. Banger. Two points away. He goes needlessly wide next up after a second serve but Nadal can’t make the most of another. It’s match point. Ace out to the backhand side. Dominant, authoritative, as Djokovic was for the first hour of this match. Then he let his level slip and Nadal located some of the old magic. He deserved that, indeed this rivalry deserved that. But Djokovic regrouped and the top seed is through in straight sets.
Novak Djokovic 6-1 5-4 Rafael Nadal*
Djokovic threads a sumptuous backhand to win the first point of the match and rank forehand error now has Nadal in trouble at 0-30. Not a bad time for your first ace of the match, then! But now he’s wide, another poor error and Djokovic has two break points, the first of which he passes up by putting the return long. Now the all-time king of Roland-Garros serve-volleys to save the second. Behave yourself. It’s an error-strewn game, in all fairness and Djokovic is gifted another opening. Second serve, but Nadal finds a find, looping backhand to the back of the court and Djokovic nets. Oh, that’s a gorgeous bank hand from Djokovic, clipping the line. Nadal keeps the point alive but not for long. Advantage Novak. He gets it done with a fabulous drop shot! Djokovic will serve for the match, perhaps his last match against Nadal.
*Novak Djokovic 6-1 4-4 Rafael Nadal
Nadal batters a forehand down the line, clips the baseline. Woof! The umpire tells the crowd to cool it. All the best with that. Djokovic regroups with a textbook smash, only for Nadal to produce a drop shot from the gods and Novak nets. 15-30. A fizzing forehand droves Djokovic deep, he goes long! Two break points for Nadal. Brilliant serve, unreturnable. Djokovic needed that. His latest serve is wildly wide, though. Rafa climbs into the second. Djokovic takes control of the rally, but Nadal gets him scrambling at the net and dispatches the point. We’re back on serve at Phillipe-Chatrier.
Novak Djokovic 6-1 4-3 Rafael Nadal*
Crunching forehand that Djokovic can only pat into the bottom of the net. Nadal gets to 30-0. He isn’t planning on going quietly. He misjudges at the back of the court, though, and Djokovic creams a winner. Nadal is ripping his forehands now, though. A smash gets him to 40-15 and that’s three games is a row! Surely not…
*Novak Djokovic 6-1 4-2 Rafael Nadal
The Djokovic backhand has been a brutal weapon today but he puts too much on that at the end of a fine rally. Now a misjudged drop shot and Nadal has a slither of an opening at 15-30, only to go long on the forehand. He changes up the angles nicely here, though and Djokovic hacks one wide. Break point to Nadal. And it’s a double fault from Djokovic! Nadal has one of the two breaks back and it was a bit of a gift all told. Can he hold next up?
Novak Djokovic 6-1 4-1 Rafael Nadal*
Well, well. A fairly unproblematic hold for Nadal. The key point comes at 30-15, with Djokovic unable to take care of business at the net. Probably just momentary respite but the Spanish flags flutter in the stands.
*Novak Djokovic 6-1 4-0 Rafael Nadal
Every Nadal point is getting roar from the punters. Another crumb from the table in that regard as Djokovic holds to 15.
Novak Djokovic 6-1 3-0 Rafael Nadal*
Uh-oh, 0-30 and we’re going to that place again. Nadal batters down a serve that Djokovic can only net before his rival benefits from an unforced error for 30-30. Still you can’t shake the impression this has become an exercise in hanging on grimly. To shift that, Rafa has to hold and a double fault for break point does not help. Nadal finds a beautiful forehand that clips the baseline to take control of the rally. Djokovic nets. Deuce. But a brilliant return forces Nadal to go wide for another break opportunity. Nadal running around the forehand, pumping the backhand… but he goes long. We’ve not been out there an hour and Djokovic is a set and two breaks to the good.
*Novak Djokovic 6-1 2-0 Rafael Nadal
Djokovic 30-0 in no time. Oh my word, that’s an outrage. Brilliant, muscular backhand return from Nadal, angled across court. That’s winning a point in most circumstances but Djokovic creams a forehand almost around the net for the winner. He tidies up to love from there.
Novak Djokovic 6-1 1-0 Rafael Nadal*
Nadal gets the first point of the second set but is then long with a forehand as he seeks to force the issue. Same story next point before Djokovic goes wide with a backhand for 30-30. Another wild attempt from Nadal clears the baseline for another breakpoint but Djokovic is furious with himself as he shanks a forehand to pass up that opportunity. Now some trading from the back of the course. Nadal nets, another chance to break, which Djokovic takes as he drives his man back on the backhand side. Looooong old road back for Rafa now.
*Novak Djokovic 6-1 Rafael Nadal
First blood to Nadal here and his forehand down the line is just wide. That might have made things interesting. As it happens, here’s Novak with two set points. His forehand kicks up off he baseline and Nadal can only shank wide. Djokovic raises a hand apologetically and that’s the set wrapped up.
Novak Djokovic 5-1 Rafael Nadal*
The bagel looms 15-30 before Djokovic goes long. The crowd roar to rouse Nadal. He responds with a juicy forehand and a backhand down the line. Game point… and he’s on the board!
*Novak Djokovic 5-0 Rafael Nadal
From struggles on his own serve to being unable to make any impression of note on the Djokovic serve since the first game. Oof, this is tough, tough going for Rafa.
Novak Djokovic 4-0 Rafael Nadal*
Nadal needs to find something here or he can pretty much kiss this set goodbye. It’s a high-class game, with both men starting to move through the repertoire. Nevertheless, Djokovic is a beat ahead and had a break point. Nadal saves the first, back to deuce. His forehand is called long on break point No. 2 but Djokovic dips into some Olympic spirit and insists his foe’s shot was good. Perhaps the gulf out there at the moment allows him to do that as he gobbles up a third break point offered.
*Novak Djokovic 3-0 Rafael Nadal
That drop shot is working nicely for Djokovic, who is making Nadal move more than he probably fancies, all thing considered. He races into a 40-0 lead and then sees out the game with a deft backhand drop. A gorgeous shot.
Novak Djokovic 2-0 Rafael Nadal*
A pair of unforced errors from Nadal and he slips to 0-30. A trademark whipping forehand gets him on the board before he ties things up at 30-30. A Djokovic drop shot earns him break point through and Nadal’s forehand clips the net and spins wide to hand Novak the first break.
Novak Djokovic* 1-0 Rafael Nadal
Nadal wins the toss and opts to receive first. As he drags back 40-0 to deuce, it looks like a decent play. Djokovic regroups, nails a forehand at the net and then Nadal goes wide.
2:00 p.m. CET/ 8:00 p.m ET: One last dance? Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have met 59 times in their history-making careers. One of those was Nadal’s three-set victory in the semifinals of the 2008 Olympic Games. Sixteen years on, will this meeting at the Paris Olympics be their last?
How to watch Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal in USA
TV channel: N/ALive stream: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC Sports App, Fubo
Djokovic and Nadal will only be available live on streaming through Peacock, NBC Olympics website, the NBC Sports App, and Fubo, which is offering a free trial so you can try before you buy. There will also be a re-run of the match on E! at 10 a.m. ET.
STREAM: Watch Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal on Fubo (free trial)
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal head-to-head record
This match is the 60th meeting between Djokovic and Nadal, with Djokovic leading the head-to-head 30-29. Their last meeting was at the French Open in 2022 where they played in the quarterfinals.
Nadal prevailed in the four-hour match, winning in four sets (6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6) before going on to win his 14th title at Roland Garros. The king of the clay returns to his stomping grounds looking for his second gold medal in the singles competition, which he won in the 2008 Beijing Games. It would be his third gold medal overall.
Djokovic is seeking his first gold medal — his only piece of Olympic hardware came in the form of a bronze in 2008. He lost to Nadal that year in the semifinals on the Spaniard’s way to the gold.
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