Tennis Prose




May/11

31

Novak Djokovic Is The Greatest Challenge Of Rafael Nadal’s Career

There’s a simple explanation for why the all-time King of Clay’s game and confidence are looking and sounding rather shaky this fortnight. Rafael Nadal is facing the greatest challenge of his career – Novak Djokovic.

Never in his illustrious career has Nadal struggled so mightily to overcome one opponent. Even as a 17-year-old kid Nadal defeated Federer in Miami 6-3 6-3 the first time they played and, to my recollection, has always had the upper hand in their historic head to head rivalry.

But now, Nadal has a new problem to deal with, something he has never had to battle against in his spectacular career, the most formidable and complicated challenge he has ever confronted. Nadal has now lost four times in a row to Novak Djokovic, all four matches were in finals this year. To win his sixth title at Roland Garros, Nadal knows he is most likely going to have to play and find a way to overcome Djokovic in the final.

Djokovic is in the semis. Rafa must beat Soderling in the quarterfinals, no easy task, to make his semi. But it just seems like destiny that Djokovic and Nadal are going to clash again on Sunday.

Rafa has overcome so much in his career – hard courts, grass courts, Federer at Wimbledon, the Australian and U.S. Opens, the Olympics, Davis Cup pressure – but will he be able to overcome the greatest challenge of his entire career, Novak Djokovic?

One can never underestimate Rafael Nadal but he might have to dig deeper than he has ever had to before to conquer Novak Djokovic.

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