… as Swiatek advances to third round
Novak Djokovic dominated Rafael Nadal with a 6-1, 6-4 victory in their highly anticipated Olympic clash on Monday, marking their 60th and potentially final encounter.
The match, featuring two of the greatest men’s tennis players in history, seemed one-sided until a late surge from Nadal prevented what would have been his heaviest loss to Djokovic.
“I’m very relieved,” Djokovic commented. “Everything was going my way. I was up 6-1, 4-0, but then played a sloppy service game, giving him opportunities.”
This win was Djokovic’s 31st in a rivalry that started at the French Open in 2006. Reflecting on their long history, Djokovic said, “You could feel the tension and incredible hype on the court. I never imagined we’d still be playing each other almost 20 years later.”
Nadal acknowledged Djokovic was the “clear favorite” in their first meeting in over two years. Once a dominant force, especially at Roland Garros where he won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles, the 38-year-old Spaniard has been hindered by injuries, dropping to 161st in the world rankings. Nadal’s participation in the singles event in Paris was uncertain until the last moment.
Djokovic, who has had a relatively challenging season, rose to the occasion in pursuit of an elusive Olympic gold. He quickly took a 5-0 lead, won the first set, and surged ahead 4-0 in the second set before Nadal mounted a brief comeback. However, Djokovic regained control, breaking Nadal’s serve once more to close out the match, possibly ending one of the sport’s greatest rivalries.
Nadal hinted at potential retirement, saying, “When this tournament is over, I will make necessary decisions based on my feelings and desires.”
Djokovic, who won bronze in his Olympic debut in 2008, will face Germany’s Dominik Koepfer for a place in the quarter-finals. Nadal will shift focus to doubles, partnering with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, will play Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in singles later.
In women’s tennis, world number one Iga Swiatek advanced to the third round, defeating France’s Diane Parry 6-1, 6-1. Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, has now won 23 consecutive matches at Roland Garros. She will next face China’s Wang Xiyu.
US second seed Coco Gauff easily overcame Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle 6-1, 6-1. Gauff will next play Donna Vekic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist who eliminated former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.
Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, this year’s French Open runner-up, progressed to the third round with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Magda Linette. Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova also advanced, defeating China’s Wang Xinyu, while Greece’s Maria Sakkari moved on as well.
Other second-round winners included Zheng Qinwen, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Casper Ruud. The tournament is facing challenging conditions, with Tokyo’s temperatures expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, posing a significant challenge for the players.
