Novak Djokovic dominated Rafael Nadal in their highly anticipated matchup at the Olympic Games, securing a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory. This triumph marked Djokovic’s 31st win in their storied rivalry, which began 18 years ago on the same Roland-Garros clay courts.
Nadal struggled to find his footing in the match, only briefly rallying in the second set with a four-game winning streak. Djokovic, however, remained in control, leveraging his precise play to force Nadal into a series of challenging shots.
Despite wearing protective strapping on his right knee, Djokovic moved freely around the court, pushing Nadal to his limits. The Serb’s powerful serves and agile movements left Nadal scrambling to keep up.
Djokovic sprinted to a 4-0 lead in the first set, breaking Nadal’s serve twice before the Spaniard managed to hold. The statistics from the opening set painted a bleak picture for Nadal, who failed to win a single game on Djokovic’s serve.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Djokovic racing to a 4-0 advantage. However, he unexpectedly handed Nadal a lifeline with a double fault, allowing the Spaniard to break back and level the score at 4-4.
Djokovic regained his composure, using a clever drop shot to break Nadal’s serve and take a 5-4 lead. He sealed the victory with a powerful ace, securing his spot in the next round.
Although Nadal fell short in singles, he remains in contention for a gold medal in the men’s doubles, where he is partnering with Carlos Alcaraz.
