What is to happen if Djokovic wins the French without beating Nadal?

[veroniquem]

People saying they won't mention Nadal but you KNOW there would be a thread about the asterix and will reach a 1000 replies :lol: Who we kidding here...? crackaddict? :lol:

If Nadal plays like he did in Rio, then who cares? It's not like he would give Djoko more trouble than whoever he has to beat instead. And if Nadal plays well, then Djoko WILL have to face him and there'll be no discussion.

 

[JoelDali]

Then it won't count.

 

[Captain Ron]

If Nadal plays like he did in Rio, then who cares? It's not like he would give Djoko more trouble than whoever he has to beat instead. And if Nadal plays well, then Djoko WILL have to face him and there'll be no discussion.

Clearly Nadal was injured/unfit/tired in that match and it doesn't count.

 

[70sHollywood]

It's an interesting point. If it happened people would suddenly proclaim Djokovic to be a greater clay courter than he already is - but why? Assuming he beats the same old players and performs at his usual level, he wouldn't actually be any better than he was after the 2013 semi-final.

What did Rafa's last FO title add to his legacy? Because 9 > 8 he must therefore be somehow greater now than he was 2 years ago. But was he a better player last year than he was in 2013? No. Did Djokovic play better last year than in 2013? No. Was there some young clay-court genius previously unknown who Rafa beat on his way to the final? No. So really, what did it prove?

 

[Tony48]

Well, SOMEBODY has to win the tournament. You can't just cancel the tournament if just because Nadal didn't reach the final

 

[Bud]

Same thing as Federer. Completes the career slam without beating the best.

- -

FTR, it's asterisk not asterix

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

I don't care as long as Nole wins RG! He deserves the career slam!

 

[chjtennis]

Well, Nadal didn't always win his FO by beating the 2nd best clay courter. For example, I think he was a bit lucky Federer beat Djokovic in 2011. I'm sure Djokovic would've won then and that could have done a lot of damage to Nadal's confidence and might have changed his career quite a bit. 'Ifs' can make you ponder a lot of possibilities.

 

[spinovic]

Did Soderling get a RG trophy for beating Nadal there?

Which do you think he'd rather have...a win over Nadal or an actual RG championship that didn't involve a matchup with Rafa?

He's a nice footnote,right? The only guy to ever beat Nadal at Roland Garros. But, Rafa will lose there again at some point, then Soderling is simply the answer to a trivia question...who was the first man to beat Nadal at the French Open? But, an actual major etches your name forever among the other major winners.

 

[spinovic]

Well, Nadal didn't always win his FO by beating the 2nd best clay courter. For example, I think he was a bit lucky Federer beat Djokovic in 2011. I'm sure Djokovic would've won then and that could have done a lot of damage to Nadal's confidence and might have changed his career quite a bit. 'Ifs' can make you ponder a lot of possibilities.

Or maybe Nadal wins and changes the dynamic enough that Djokovic doesn't go on to beat him in the next three majors like he did.

Djokovic has come into Roland Garros sufficiently confident before and has never been able to close the deal. I see no reason to believe he'd have won in 2011 either.

 

[SLD76]

The VB will decry it a fluke and it will lose all value for the rest of time.

Winner winner chicken dinner