But the mood has changed in recent seasons. There is now a statue of Nadal near the entrance of the stadium complex, and throughout Tuesday night there were chants of “Rafa” even as Djokovic prepared to serve on important stages.
“I think maybe they know that I won’t be here much more,” said Nadal.
Djokovic himself did not have the opportunity to compete in this year’s Australian Open. He was deported on the eve of the competition after falling out with the Australian government over his lack of vaccination against Covid-19. But he went to Paris and was at Tuesday’s match in more convincing form than Nadal, who is without a doubt the greatest men’s clay court player in history but played very briefly in the matches above. field this year.
“Yes, I was surprised with my level tonight,” said Nadal. “But in a way, it’s simpler when you know you need an A game of yours or you’re going home.”
Nadal injured his ribs at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., in March, losing in the final to American Taylor Fritz while playing with a stress fracture. He missed most of the start of the season on clay and only returned to the Madrid Open in mid-May, when he was beaten by 19-year-old Spanish compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Then came the Italian Open, his only other clay-court event against Roland Garros, where Nadal was beaten in three sets by Denis Shapovalov of Canada in a 16-night match in Rome in which he hobbled. to the finish line, grimacing inside. pain when his chronic left foot condition recurred. He was frustrated after that defeat but did not rule out playing at the French Open and going to Paris with the fifth seed and, unlike in Rome, with his longtime doctor, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro.
“Having a doctor here, you can do useful things,” said Nadal, declining to go into detail about his treatment while continuing to hint that this could be his last appearance. his at Roland Garros. “I’m putting everything into trying to play this tournament in the best possible condition, right? I don’t know what might happen after that, to be honest, but here I think I’ll be fine. ”
As usual, Nadal proved his ability to play and overcome the pain. He fought to win five sets in the fourth round against 21-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, then beat Djokovic for the 59th time on tour and the 10th at Roland Garros.
