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October 9, 2020; Paris France; Novak Djokovic (SRB) in action during his match against Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) on the 13th at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
PARIS – Novak Djokovic has suffered more than his fair share of heart against Rafael Nadal at the French Open, but Sunday’s final offers him a chance to dethrone the clay king.
The 33-year-old Serbian leads their extraordinary rivalry 29-26, but Nadal has won six of his seven Roland Garros clashes, including the 2012 and 2014 finals.
Djokovic won his last match on Parisian clay, however, in the 2015 quarter-finals and believes that Sunday’s final offers him a chance to overtake the Spaniard again, even if he says playing with Nadal on clay remains the challenge hardest in tennis.
“Obviously the conditions are different from what we are used to playing in May and June,” Djokovic told reporters after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets on Friday.
“I think it could be a better chance for me, obviously the ball doesn’t bounce as high over his shoulder as he normally likes. I mean, look, regardless of the conditions, it’s still
Rafa is there, he’s in the final, we play on clay ”.
Had it not been for Djokovic’s failure at the U.S. Open for hitting a linesman with a ball snatched out of frustration during a fourth-round match against Pablo Carreño Busta, the Serbian could have started Sunday’s showdown with 18 Grand Slam titles, one behind Nadal and two less than Roger Federer.
The victory would have him close the gap, but the defeat would leave three of them in the race for the status of ‘best of all time’. The stakes are high, but Djokovic says it is not the most important game he has played in his career.
“Grand Slam finals are always huge,” said the world number one. “But I don’t think it is the most important game I have played in my life. I think there were some bigger ones.
“In terms of importance, I mean, if I have to compare, even if I don’t like it, probably the first Wimbledon final I played against him (in 2011). Wimbledon was always the one I wanted to win as a child and dreamed of winning.
“That’s probably the one that stands out. And the 2016 French Open against Andy Murray here. Every French Open final that I played was the game of my life before winning it.
“This is the (Grand Slam) that I won the least, so of course I’m very motivated to try to get another one.”
Despite 12-time Roland Garros champion Nadal navigating the draw without dropping a set and Djokovic spent four hours beating Tsitsipas in a late finish on Friday, he said he will shoot full blast Sunday.
“I don’t feel so physically exhausted after tonight’s game,” he said. “It was a great battle. But I feel good. I think a day and a half will be a long time to recover. I hope to have a great battle with Rafa ”.
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