Nadal-Djokovic, a pulse without truce

With Roger Federer provisionally out of the circuit, and ready for the NextGen to finish the method, the battle for world supremacy has been diminished, for the second, to Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, one of many nice rivalries of at all times, the 2 gamers who’ve confronted essentially the most occasions in historical past. His final duel was not litigated inside the similar observe, however separated by 14,600 kilometers. The Serbian competed in Dubai. The Spanish, in Acapulco. Two ATP 500 class tournaments. Each are topic to a slender marking that doesn’t affect distances. Nadal arrived with mathematical choices to rise to primary, however Djokovic was agency and didn’t permit alternations within the ranks. The 2 added victory, so issues keep kind of the identical. The following match is introduced this month, from March 11 to 22, within the 1,000 Masters of Indian Wells, with the 2 gladiators in the identical body. There are additionally mixtures that would seat Rafa on the throne, however all of them undergo the ultimate triumph, which might already be a large success in itself.

Nadal additionally reached in Acapulco its title 85, a model that strengthens it within the fourth historic place, after Connors (109), Federer (103) and Lendl (94), and forward of the stalker Djokovic (79). In parallel, Rafa already has 17 consecutive years with a minimum of one trophy in his file. A brutal reality. And extra if we add that in ten of these 17 programs he stepped on primary for some week. In these two scales he surpasses his two generational opponents: Federer and Djokovic. The longevity of the Balearic Islands, which received its first match on the age of 18 and its first Grand Slam with 19, is without doubt one of the hallmarks of its sensible profession. And that as a younger man he was advised that his bodily tennis was not going to permit him to final lengthy. Rafa has tailored to every stage. And there it continues. Without truce.