Nadal: "I still believe in it and I'm going to give it my all" before facing Djokovic

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Guillaume Nonque

le 29/07/2024 à 09h36

2 min to read

Djokovic Jeux Olympiques Nadal

Rafael Nadal takes on Novak Djokovic this Monday on the clay of Roland Garros in the second round of the Olympic Games. The 60th meeting between the two men appears to be clearly lopsided in favor of the Serb, who is still in top form, while the Spaniard has been searching for his best form for over two years.

Before that, the Spaniard emerged victorious from a tough two-and-a-half-hour battle with Marton Fucsovic (6-1, 4-6, 6-4) in the first round on Sunday. A match that allowed him to find even more rhythm, but which may also have taken its toll on his physique.

Rafael Nadal: "It was a good test. The good thing is that I was able to play good tennis for a while, which gives you hope. It always gives you hope. But on the negative side, I wasn't able to maintain that good level.

Against Djokovic, it's a different story, a different type of opponent. Of course, we're in different situations in our careers. He's just reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament (Wimbledon). I haven't been very competitive over the last three years. So we'll see. And it's in a special place.

It's always very special to play against Novak, there's no doubt about that. But normally, we play for the finals or the semi-finals. This is the second round. Of course, this is the Olympic Games, where every match is super special.

But it's true that, at the same time, in almost every match (against Djokovic), I've arrived in a different situation to the one I'm in today. That makes the match more difficult for me and more unpredictable. But I still have hope. I still believe and I'm going to give it my all."