Novak Djokovic dominated rival Rafael Nadal at the start, then held off a comeback attempt to win 6-1, 6-4 at the Paris Olympics in the second round on Monday, the 60th — and likely last — head-to-head matchup between the two tennis greats.
Djokovic claimed 10 of the initial 11 games, with Nadal nowhere near the skilled and ever-hustling version of himself that won a record 14 French Open trophies on the same red clay at Roland Garros that is hosting Summer Games matches.
Instead, Nadal was diminished, showing every bit of his 38 years, and looking like someone who might be ready to head into retirement after playing only sparingly the past two seasons because of a series of injuries, including hip surgery.
Then, suddenly, the indefatigable Nadal got going, making a push to turn this contest competitive, which surely no one — least of all Djokovic — found too surprising.
Nadal captured four consecutive games in the second set, including a forehand winner to break to make it 4-all.
He raised his left fist, drawing roars from a packed Court Philippe Chatrier crowd that repeatedly tried to encourage him with chants of “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!”
And that’s when Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia, regained control.
He broke right back, pointing to his left ear while walking to the sideline as if to taunt Nadal’s supporters.
Djokovic then served out the victory, before meeting Nadal at the net for a hug.
Djokovic owns 24 Grand Slam titles, and Nadal 22, the two highest men’s totals in the century-plus history of the sport, both have been ranked No. 1, and no pair of men has played each other more often in the professional era.
They are two-thirds of the so-called Big Three of men’s tennis, along with Roger Federer, who retired with 20 Slam titles.
That trio enjoyed unprecedented success and prompted endless debates about which was the “GOAT” — “Greatest of All Time.”
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Tom Pidcock stormed back from a front puncture to take a second consecutive Olympic mountian bike gold in dramatic fashion at the Paris Games.
Pidcock’s race was in danger of unravelling when he suffered a flat front tyre on the fourth of eight laps, shortly after he had taken control of the 35km race with an attack which split the pack.
Having fallen 40 seconds behind French hope Victor Koretzky, Pidcock fought his way back to reclaim the lead with a lap and a half to go, but the pair traded blows in the last couple of kilometres – dramatically touching wheels – before Pidcock burst forward to take the win.
Pidcock was booed by the home crowds at Elancourt Hill, who had been ecstatic when Koretzky had attacked on the final climb of the race – the sort of territory where Pidcock would be expected to make a move – to take the lead late on.
But their hearts would be broken after Pidcock got his nose in front of Koretzky as the path narrowed before a tree, the decisive moment in a tense race.
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