Rafael Nadal overcomes Novak Djokovic to win ninth French Open title
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Version 0 of 1. History weighed heavily on both rackets on Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday and, for the 23rd time in 42 matches against Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal was left to drink in the applause, relieved and elated to win his ninth French Open title, his fifth in a row. For much of a skin-burning afternoon that ended under cloud cover the final fell below expectations. But there were enough golden moments to augment snatches of drama and controversy to make Nadal’s 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 victory a commendable one, if not quite the wondrous spectacle the women’s final provided 24 hours earlier. Nadal only intermittently hit the pitch of near-perfection he reached in thrashing Andy Murray in straight sets on Friday but he found enough to do the job. After three and a half hours he had drained Djokovic of his last reserves and the Serb pushed his final serve long to bring the patrons to their feet yet again in Nadal’s honour. Djokovic, as ever, fought hard but he too failed to find his best game and looked mentally and physically gone at the end. Perhaps the days of their five-hour finals are gone forever. Is the age of brute force winding down? More players are searching for the quick kill these days, especially those young contenders seeking to break the hold the elite players still have on the big tournaments. “In matches like this every moment is crucial,” said Nadal, who has drawn alongside Pete Sampras on 14 majors, only three behind Federer and eight in front of Djokovic. The world No2 had won their past four encounters – but lost their past three in slams. Nadal keeps his world No 1 ranking safe, too. “Playing against Novak is always a big challenge for me,” added the Spaniard. “Every time I beat him, I have to play to my limit. Today tennis give me back what happened in Australia [where a back injury struck during the final against Stanislas Wawrinka].” Djokovic said: “That trophy is out of reach this year but I will come back again, and again, and again and again until I win it.” Nadal replied: “I am sure you will win this tournament in the future.” Those sort of certainties, however, do not exist as they once did. If Djokovic does win here, it will more than likely be without Nadal across the net – or in a different sort of struggle against one of the young contenders who are banging hard on the castle door. Djokovic very nearly blew his chance to take the first set but saved two break points then forced Nadal to overhit. From that position, 1-0 up in 35 career finals, he had never lost – and he had made Nadal suffer eight such times. The last time Nadal lost the first set here, however – against Roger Federer in 2006 – he went on to win 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. So history again intruded on the fortunes of both men. As against Federer eight years ago Nadal found what he likes to call his “inside power” and through struggle and fleeting genius he worked his way through the second set, growing more determined by the stroke, if still not revving at full throttle. The sixth game was pivotal. Djokovic double-faulted to give Nadal a small look and the Spaniard got his first break point after an hour and 12 minutes – but he had to scrap for the breakthrough. The crowd rose in indignation when Djokovic challenged a no-call, well beaten on the backhand side, and the umpire saw in his favour for deuce. Nadal scorched the line on the opposite side, turned to his fans and threw a phantom uppercut to remind his opponent they were now in a fight. When he forced Djokovic to slice a return into the net for 4-2, the stadium was filled with chants of “Rafa! Rafa!” But within 10 minutes of his first break point Nadal handed the advantage back, then closed out the set with a vigorous thump to punish Djokovic’s short reply. The standard had still not risen to familiar heights, although both players peppered the rallies with winners of frightening power. Djokovic down a break, cursed himself when he failed to capitalise on a get-square chance in the fifth game, and Nadal stretched his lead with a vicious cross-court forehand. He now looked the more likely winner: more certain in the shot and energised with every success. Trailing by two games, with the crowd (and history) against him and Nadal on fire, Djokovic found a fifth ace and, although his ground strokes were still not grooved to the highest order, he held for 2-4. But frustration gnawed at him and he indulged in his second racket-smash of the tournament when a forehand inched wide in the seventh game. He took it to Nadal for 12 minutes on the Spaniard’s serve but could not crack his stubborn defence and found himself serving to stay in the third set after two and a half hours. Djokovic hit his final shot lazily long and he looked woebegone and clueless as both players wandered into the locker room to briefly gather their thoughts and resources. The only cloud on the horizon for Nadal was ... a cloud on the horizon. Or rather, several of them, rain-laden and mildly threatening. The prospect of a repeat of their 2012 final, when the weather forced play into a second day, seemed to invest the champion’s work with added urgency. They resumed on a pristine court, swept and tended artfully in their absence to resemble an ochre canvas, and they quickly set about adding their brushstrokes of mayhem on it. The prettier ones again belonged to Nadal, however, as he moved with increasing certainty to the finish line. It was in the fourth set in the 2012 final that Djokovic mysteriously and dramatically collapsed. That did not happen here but he was not as inspired as in many other fightbacks. When he shoved a backhand into the tramlines, the job looked done. Nadal had a minor meltdown in the seventh game, however, double-faulting and barely billowing the net with two tired ground strokes. Back on serve, Djokovic was encouraged to hope. Nadal held, shakily, through deuce, then broke his rival’s heart in the 10th and final game, when Djokovic served a double fault to hand his Spanish nemesis the title. It was exactly how their last final finished here. That is the weight of history for you. |