French Open: Nadal downplays last-eight clash with Djokovic

Long-time rivals set to meet in a highly-anticipated showdown


Afp June 02, 2015
Nadal, who will celebrate his 29th birthday on Wednesday, could drop out of the world top 10 if he loses to Djokovic. PHOTOS: AFP

PARIS:


Rafael Nadal believes all the pressure will be on Novak Djokovic in Wednesday’s French Open quarter-final with the nine-time champion dismissing the headline-grabbing collision as “not vital”.


Nadal has defeated world number one Djokovic six times out of six at Roland Garros where the Spaniard boasts a record of 70 wins and just one loss.

Three of his victories against Djokovic have been in the last three years — in the 2012 and 2014 finals and 2013 semi-final.

In contrast to Nadal’s domination, Djokovic remains frustratingly just one French Open title short of a career Grand Slam, something already achieved by the Spaniard, fellow present-day rival Roger Federer and five other men.

“This is not vital,” said Nadal, who has not played Djokovic at such an early stage of any tournament for eight years. “If it was a final, things would be different. It’s a quarter-final and if you win you go to the semi-final. It’s not a matter of lifting the trophy. If I lose the quarter-final, my life won’t change.”

Top seed Djokovic eased into the last-eight on Monday with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 win over France’s Richard Gasquet while defending champion Nadal, seeking a 10th Roland Garros crown, saw off unseeded American Jack Sock, 6-3, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.

It was Nadal’s 70th French Open win against just one defeat and his 39th in a row at a tournament he has dominated for a decade.

As well as his Paris supremacy, Nadal also holds a career 23-20 edge in head-to-head meetings with Djokovic.

But Djokovic is the overwhelming favourite to break that stranglehold this year after claiming a 26th successive win on Monday.

The 28-year-old has lost just twice all year and has not been defeated since February.

Since the turn of the year, he has won a fifth Australian Open as well as Masters titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome.

Nadal, however, arrived in Paris on his lowest world ranking since 2005 and without a European claycourt title for the first time in a decade.

Djokovic said he will try and stick to his usual routine but admitted that facing his old adversary so early feels unusual.

“Playing him here and playing him in any other tournament is completely different,” said the 28-year-old Serb. “I am trying to keep my routine the same and not give so much importance to the match.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2015.

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COMMENTS (1)

JD | 8 years ago | Reply C'mon Rafa.. one last fight. 10 French open titles, a decade of domination. Vamos!
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