Gold can be quite an elusive quest for any player in the Olympics, but it does seem that the killer instinct from Novak Djokovic is finally back on the tennis courts as he defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets at 6-1 and 6-4 as he now remains on track to win a gold medal in the Paris Olympics.

It is quite a shock that Rafael Nadal, who won 14 titles in the French Open, ultimately lost this ordeal against Djokovic considering that the clay court is his ground, and many expected him to come up with a shocker run in the Olympics. And yet, the Serbian star has emerged victorious over one of his rivals heading deeper into the competition.

Much like any other meeting between the two top stars, the crowd was raucous, and even Nadal managed to earn some “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd as he drove the match to some promising heights, which definitely relished some of the old memories of competing against his rival in Djokovic.

A Match to Remember

Just like their showdown in the French Open in 2022, Djokovic and Nadal played at the Philippe-Chatrier with a promising crowd cheering around them. However, this was a different picture as Nadal was no longer the same dangerous player to watch on clay, and Djokovic easily found his groove in the game despite holding off the Spaniard in the final set.

While many speculate that this is going to be Nadal’s final appearance on the Roland Garros grounds, the Spanish star can definitely be satisfied with the way he fought in the second set, where he forced Djokovic to some rough spots but ultimately gave in by the end of the match. For Djokovic, this was a promising match to look out for considering how well his opponent forced his hand.

“I played a little sloppy service game and you can’t give any chances to Nadal because he is going to use them and comeback. Especially on this court,” Djokovic said of the match against Nadal. The crowd getting involved but it was a crucial game at 4-4, trying to break his serve and then serve against the wind with new balls.”

Savoring a Rivalry

Djokovic and Nadal are one of the three players in the legendary Big Three of tennis, with the other being Roger Federer. Over the years, these two players have gone toe-to-toe multiple times in various tournaments, leading to promising results over the years. As of the time of writing, Djokovic boasts a 31-29 record over the Spanish star, including this latest win.

“Back in 2006, I don’t think we would have thought we would be playing against each other on the same court at the Olympics," Djokovic said. "So I think we will appreciate this match very much. I think our rivalry and I think for the sport itself. I think there was a lot of attention and interest directed from sports towards us. It is unfortunate for him that he wasn’t at his best, but I did everything I could to make him feel uncomfortable.”

After decades of intense competition, Djokovic was still able to display his impressive game and was hitting close to his best game. Nadal’s hot game, however, has gone cold over the years due to injury, but it was fun for fans to see a glimpse of his former glory in the sport.