Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both hope to achieve major milestones with a win in the French Open Final.
Rafael Nadal wants to win a record-setting seven French Open titles. Novak Djokovic wants to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously. After Sunday’s French Open Men’s Single’s Final, one of them will be disappointed
It is hard to argue that Rafael Nadal is not the best player in men’s tennis today. At 26, he has half a decade of good tennis left to him, and the honors and achievements he could amass could put him at the top of all the record lists. Second in the world, there is only one player ranked above him: his French Open Final opponent, Novak Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic had an amazing year in 2011, winning just about every tournament he entered, and capturing three Grand Slam titles (he lost the French Open to Nadal). The 25-year-old Serb has overcome injuries, toughened himself mentally, and could be playing the best tennis of his life.
Both men dispatched their semi-final opponents in straight sets. Nadal destroyed countryman David Ferrer 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, and was never broken, never even troubled. Nadal often seemed content to let Ferrer beat himself; the 30-year-old Spaniard had 35 unforced errors to Nadal’s 16.
Djokovic was matched against Roger Federer, and had a tougher time of it. The pair traded breaks in the first set, and Djokovic showed some signs that his right knee might be hurting. Federer lost the set more than Djokovic won it, hitting 17 unforced errors.
Federer came out hot in the second game, and got up two breaks in the third game. Then the lanky Serb woke up, breaking back in the next game. He fought back from triple set point the next game, then broke Federer again the game after. Federer returned the favor in the ninth game, and Djokovic broke back again in the tenth.
Federer was missing some shots, particularly big forehands, due to the wind, which was gusting so hard it scoured most of the clay off the court. He missed one long in game 12 to lose the second set.
The third set lasted only nine games, as Federer seemed to realize his situation was hopeless. He had 46 unforced errors to only 17 for Djokovic. The top seed seemed to get over his mobility issues in the thirds set as well; if his knee was sore, he showed no further sign of it.
Based on their performances through the tournament, Nadal would seem to have the edge. He was never tested, so how he might play under pressure would be a mystery, if he had not always been solid throughout his career.
Djokovic’s performance in the second set against Federer is mystifying. He played well in some games and played hard in all of them, but against a tougher opponent would he have been able to come back and win?
Add to that the possibility that Djokovic hurt his knee in his match against Jo-Wilfried Tsongas, and it seems more likely that Nadal will get his seventh. Djokovic will need to have another amazing year to earn his four simultaneous Grand Slam titles.
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