There was no trophy, and no title, on offer for Novak Djokovic at Court Philippe Chatrier. Perhaps there should have been, considering what he accomplished.
Thoroughly outplaying the best there’s ever been on red clay, Djokovic ended Rafael Nadal’s 39-match French Open winning streak Wednesday by beating the nine-time champion in a surprisingly lopsided quarterfinal 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.
It’s only Nadal’s second defeat in 72 career matches at Roland Garros — and second in 95 best-of-five-set matches anywhere on the surface. The other came in the fourth round in Paris in 2009 against Robin Soderling. Before that, Nadal won four championships in a row. And sinceIJ Nadal collected a record five consecutive French Open titles.
“I lost in 2009, and (it) was not the end,” Nadal said. “I lost in 2015, and (it) is not the end.”
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic lost all six previous matches they’d played in Paris, including the 2012 and 2014 finals.
But Djokovic’s defense allowed Nadal only three winners off his heavy topspin lefty forehand, perhaps the most feared shot in all of tennis. With his coach, Boris Becker, jumping out of his seat to applaud, Djokovic conjured up 45 winners to only 16 for Nadal, whose 29th birthday sure was a downer. “He was better than me,” Nadal said. “That’s it.” By the end, Djokovic not only had broken down Nadal’s game but also his usually unbending will. Appropriately for a match that did not live up to the hype, it closed with a whimper on a double-fault by Nadal.
“I have much respect for Rafa. He is obviously not playing at the level we expect from him this season,” Djokovic said.
The 14-time major champion missed time last season with a right wrist injury, then had appendix surgery. He has spoken openly about a crisis in confidence from poor-for-him results in 2015: Wednesday’s loss was his sixth on clay, his most in a year since 2003. When the rankings come out Monday, he’ll be no better than 10th, his worst spot since 2005.
Djokovic, who won his eighth Slam title at January’s Australian Open, owns a 27-match winning streak. After 15 minutes, he led 4-0, taking 18 of the first 22 points, including one 19-stroke delight in which both men sprinted to track down lobs.
It took Nadal 21 minutes to complete the minimal task of claiming a game, with the help of an on-the-run, down-the-line backhand passing winner so exquisite Djokovic gave a thumb’s up. That helped the Spaniard get to 4-all. No matter. Djokovic was too good for his longtime rival, no matter the conditions.