ATP Masters Rome: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - giving up is never an option
With Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic , the two best players in the world will contest the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome. Both legends could be on their way home long ago.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: May 16, 2021, 09:26 am
And so the 57th duel between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will take place this Sunday on Campo Centrale, the last time these two dueled there in 2019, in a very strange match: Djokovic was overrun in the first set and third set, Nadal won 6: 0, 4: 6 and 6: 1, took the ninth title in Rome.
The fact that the Spaniard would even have the chance of a renewed, then tenth triumph in the Eternal City, was twice on the brink. First, of course, against Denis Shapovalov in the round of 16. Nadal could have lost in two or three sets, but he refused as persistently as only he and Novak Djokovic can. See his comeback win against Stefanos Tsitsipas. And yes: Against Alexander Zverev, Nadal was often on the verge of disaster, so the smooth final score of 6: 3 and 6.4 should not be misleading.
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But the fact is: Novak Djokovic's thirst for victory, who will celebrate his 34th birthday next week, and Rafael Nadal, who was also 35 at the beginning of June, must drive the competitors crazy. The hunger for victory of the two (Djokovic holds 82 tournament wins, Nadal 89) is still astonishing. Yes, Nadal has already lost on clay this year in Monte Carlo to Andrey Rublev and in Madrid to Zverev. Against the German number one there was nothing to be gained after a strong start, Rublev played simply brilliantly even after a short spurt from Nadal.
Djokovic, on the other hand, did not show much desire in the principality against Daniel Evans, the defeat in the semi-finals in Belgrade against Aslan Karatsev certainly hurt. But it doesn't go that fast when it comes to changing the guard, especially not the closer the next big event, the French Open, comes.
There it could very well be possible that the two best players of the moment will meet in the semifinals. The chances of this are 50 percent, thanks to Daniil Medvedev, who is in second place in the ATP world rankings before Nadal. But first of all, the ninth meeting of the two legends is in Rome. Rafael Nadal leads 5: 3. And, like Novak Djokovic, will refuse to simply accept a defeat.
Here the single tableau in Rome
rommap