The Dark Knight
Legend
It was fascinating to hear Nadal reveal the deflating thought that crossed his mind before he faced Djokovic for the title at Flushing Meadows two years ago.
"I was in the locker room," Nadal recalled, "and I was not convinced that I will have the chance to win."
According to Nadal, a lot has to do with that four-set loss to Djokovic in New York in 2011. After dropping the first two sets, Nadal won the third in a tiebreaker.
“A very important moment for me,” Nadal explained. “I was able to change that situation, to fight more than [I had] in the previous matches against him, and [see] a way for me to play. … Run for every point. Fight, fight for every ball. And play aggressive. And that’s what I did in the third set.”
He’s gone back and watched video of that match.
“Amazing points in that set. Very long rallies. [You can't] hear the ball, because the crowd is crazy in a lot of points. So that means that was very high quality,” Nadal said.
It was a defeat but, Nadal said Monday, “I finished that match in Australia very happy, because another time I was able to change the dynamic.”
The next time they played, about three months later in the final at Monte Carlo, Nadal won in straight sets.
He was back on the right path, knowing that one key for him was to play closer to the baseline and look to attack more when possible.
“After that victory, mentally, you feel more confident when you come back on court against him,” Nadal said.
“Between Novak and me, every point is fighting, every point is [a] long rally, every point is more strategy.
“Sometimes, I really don’t know how I am able to beat him,” Nadal said with a laugh. “But maybe he feels something similar, and that’s the most important thing. I know that I am playing at my limit when I play against him. But I have big hopes that he feels something similar.”
"I was in the locker room," Nadal recalled, "and I was not convinced that I will have the chance to win."
According to Nadal, a lot has to do with that four-set loss to Djokovic in New York in 2011. After dropping the first two sets, Nadal won the third in a tiebreaker.
“A very important moment for me,” Nadal explained. “I was able to change that situation, to fight more than [I had] in the previous matches against him, and [see] a way for me to play. … Run for every point. Fight, fight for every ball. And play aggressive. And that’s what I did in the third set.”
He’s gone back and watched video of that match.
“Amazing points in that set. Very long rallies. [You can't] hear the ball, because the crowd is crazy in a lot of points. So that means that was very high quality,” Nadal said.
It was a defeat but, Nadal said Monday, “I finished that match in Australia very happy, because another time I was able to change the dynamic.”
The next time they played, about three months later in the final at Monte Carlo, Nadal won in straight sets.
He was back on the right path, knowing that one key for him was to play closer to the baseline and look to attack more when possible.
“After that victory, mentally, you feel more confident when you come back on court against him,” Nadal said.
“Between Novak and me, every point is fighting, every point is [a] long rally, every point is more strategy.
“Sometimes, I really don’t know how I am able to beat him,” Nadal said with a laugh. “But maybe he feels something similar, and that’s the most important thing. I know that I am playing at my limit when I play against him. But I have big hopes that he feels something similar.”
