RAffel Nadal has owned Roland Garros for almost all of his career. Whether Novak Djokovic can take on the lease on Sunday afternoon depends on two factors: the will of the Spaniard and the structure of the Serbs.
There has been no indication of a champion’s will in six matches, as he fights to win each set. Whether Djokovic’s body – especially the area from the top of his spine to the tips of his fingers – can hold it under championship pressure, is less than the fighting power to defeat Stefanos Sisypas in five sets in the second semi-state in his setting. Final on Friday night. Nadal had previously had troubling moments sacking Diego Schwartzman, but there was no doubt he would win.
The answer will come at the end of the 53rd French Open, which is surprising given that Nadal has won since his inception in 2005. Djokovic disrupted his reign in the 2015 quarterfinals and was crowned in absentia in 2016 due to injury, but otherwise the kingdom has been ruled by Mallorca.
Djokovic, citing his match five years ago, believed he had a good chance of winning. What he brought to the discussion is an element of uncertainty that makes great sporting events memorable. When he saved two match points to stop Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final last year, he confirmed that his gift to unset his teammates is as strong as ever. If he can stand up, he will continue to punch.
The American American Jim Courier, who has won twice here, is just as vague about the outcome. “Rafa was fabulous,” he told ITV. “I liked the arrangements he made from the Rome match [when he lost to Schwartzman in the quarter-finals]. I liked that he was returning to his service status a bit around.
“He has been in the usual Rafa form accustomed to watching in this tournament. He has not been challenged much. He’s refreshed in the second final and he knows it’s going to be a tough match. It will be a huge battle between these two Titans. There is a lot on the line. It is very glorious to see these two amazing players repeat what happened here in the final in Rolland Nd Garros.
“It’s getting difficult to finish the point. It’s going to be cool on Sunday… and a drop shot will be key for both of these. Rafa is a bit more comfortable with the forehand drop shot and Novak is a little more comfortable on the backhand. We will look for confirmation in the final. ”
It’s strategy and tactics. What is hard to measure is spirit and instinct. Chris Evert, another American from Paris who won here, seems to be leaning towards Djokovic. “Novak is not human at the moment,” he said at Eurosport. “I look at Nadal and see a warrior, fighting for everything. He is going to shed blood on the court. I see Djokovic and I see robots more but in a good sense. The mental part of his game is one level ahead of all the others. That’s wonderful. “
Nadal Steele saw himself in the face of his stubborn challenge Schwartz would equate his not to Djokovic’s mental toughness, as none of the extremists leave his position. If Djokovic were to win, he would have to play until the age of 43 and win every French slam to reach Nadal’s fair in Paris, where the Open era began in 1968. Some records are fire-proof and are the safest in the game.
However, there is a big prize at stake. Winning or losing on Sunday, Djokovic Nadal and Roger Federer love to take the lead in collecting the most number of trophies in four Grand Slams. Together they have 56 majors, 20 of whom are 39-year-old Federer, who is Horse d’combat, 19 of which belong to Nadal and 17 to Djokovic, one year younger than his active rival.
But it is all history, past, present and future. The thing that matters at the end of a strange and important tournament would not have happened at all during the coronavirus epidemic, but for the loneliness of the FFT, it is desperate to stop the money around for their beautiful and expensive renovation.
In front of a daily select 1,000 spectators, as if there was a royal banquet in Versailles, Nadal and Djokovic made their way to a possible conclusion. He will go in five bloody sets – and Nadal will be the champion again.
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