Maybe it’s because Novak Djokovic was only 19 at the time, young and full of bravado.
Or perhaps it’s because he simply was saying aloud what he certainly hoped, but couldn’t be absolutely positive, was true.
Then again, there’s also the possibility that Djokovic knew he had conjured up more winners that day than his opponent, despite playing with an aching back that led the Serb to quit a few points into the third set after losing the first two.
Whatever the case, it’s fascinating to go back and read Djokovic’s declaration on the evening of June 7, 2006, after facing a certain guy by the name of Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros quarterfinals.
“He’s the best on this surface, but he’s not unbeatable. That’s for sure,” Djokovic had said then.
Ranked 63rd at the time, the Serb had never been that far at a Grand Slam tournament. He hadn’t faced Nadal before, either.
All these years later, their rivalry, the best tennis has to offer these days, gets a 44th instalment Wednesday, exactly in the same place, and under the same circumstances, as it began: Djokovic vs. Nadal, in a quarterfinal on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros.
No other two men have played each other so many times in the Open era of professional tennis, which began in 1968.
Nadal leads 23-20 overall, 14-5 on clay and 9-3 at Grand Slam tournaments.
And 6-0 at Roland Garros.
They haven’t met as early as a quarterfinal at any major since that very first encounter.
“Of course, I don’t like playing a quarterfinal against Novak, that’s for sure,” Nadal said, “and I hope that Novak won’t like playing me in a quarterfinal.”
This time, Djokovic is ranked and seeded No.1, and carrying a 26-match winning streak.
“He’s the best player of the world, without any doubt, today. Very dominant,” Nadal said.
“Probably everybody’s with me that probably he is the favourite here.”
Nadal is ranked No.7, seeded No.6, but he is No. 1 in Paris, with a record nine championships and 70 victories in 71 career matches.
“Playing him here, and playing him in any other tournament in the world, is completely different,” said Djokovic, who lost to Nadal in the 2012 and 2014 finals at Roland Garros.
The reason this is only a quarterfinal is that Nadal’s right wrist injury and appendix surgery last season, plus poor-for-him results this year, dropped him out of the top five in the rankings for the first time in a decade.
Tournament director Gilbert Ysern said on the day of the draw no consideration had been given to seeding Nadal higher, in a nod to his unprecedented success in Paris.
“We did not even think about it,” Ysern said, “and he did not ask for it.” — AP
The Paris showdowns
* 2014 final
Nadal bt Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4
*2013 semifinal
Nadal bt Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7
* 2012 final
Nadal bt Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
* 2008 semifinal
Nadal bt Djokovic 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(3)
* 2007 semifinal
Nadal bt Djokovic 7-5, 6-4, 6-2
* 2006 quarterfinal
Nadal bt Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 (retd.).
