NOVAK Djokovic crushed Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-4 in their blockbuster Olympics clash on Monday as the two titans met for the 60th and possibly final time.
The showdown between the two most successful men’s tennis players in history appeared to be fizzling out before a late fightback from Nadal enabled him to avoid his heaviest-ever defeat by Djokovic.
“I’m very relieved,” said Djokovic. “Everything was going my way, I was 6-1, 4-0 up but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances.”
It was 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic’s 31st win in a rivalry that began on the same Roland Garros clay courts in 2006.
“You could feel the tension coming into the match, but also incredible hype, incredible atmosphere on the court,” said Djokovic.
“I never thought back in 2006 that we’d still be playing each other almost 20 years later.”
Nadal admitted Djokovic was the “clear favourite” ahead of their first clash in more than two years, with the Spaniard a shadow of the player who reigned for the best part of two decades at Roland Garros.
While 14 of Nadal’s 22 Grand Slams have come in Paris, the 38-year-old has been plagued by injuries in recent years and he has slumped to 161st in the world.
His participation in the singles in Paris had been in doubt until the last minute.
Djokovic, a bronze medallist on his Olympic debut in 2008, goes on to face Dominik Koepfer of Germany for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Nadal will turn his focus to the doubles where he is in a dream-team pairing with compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz, the reigning men’s French Open and Wimbledon champion, takes on Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor later Monday in the singles.
