“Fell Into Despair”: Toni Nadal is in Disbelief After Watching Novak Djokovic Lose to Rafael Nadal at French Open 2020

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal met for the 56th time when they played at the 2020 French Open final. The match uncharacteristically went one-sided, as the Serbian struggled to settle in until it became too late. Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni registered a few comments on his nephew’s achievement, and this time he has added an element of surprise in reaction to Djokovic losing in straight sets. 

Nadal began showcasing his dominance as soon as the match began and handed Djokovic a bagel in the first set. Furthermore, he dominated the Serb’s service games and took most of it away from him by converting seven of them.  

The match ultimately ended 6-0, 6-2, 7-5, in the favor of Nadal. Novak Djokovic began a brief third set burst but failed to sustain it. A lot of things went wrong for the 17-time slam champion on Sunday, and Toni Nadal has figured out how the Djoker initially planned his approach. 

“Right from the start, from 40-15 in the first game, we saw an insurmountable Rafael, and I think Djokovic had the same feeling and immediately fell into despair. When he perceived that my nephew was unapproachable from the bottom, he wanted to break the rhythm with left-handers, the result of his nervousness rather than a good preparation of the point,” Toni Nadal mentioned (Quotes translated from Spanish via Google). 

Read More: Novak Djokovic Reveals What Went Wrong at French Open 2020 Against Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic losing in straight sets genuinely has Toni Nadal surprised

A lot of fans expressed their distaste with the French Open 2020 result. Though Rafa was predicted to clinch the game, Djokovic losing in straight sets was never part of the script. It marked a defining moment in his record so far. The 33-year-old never lost a single game before the French Open final.

His only loss before Sunday came during the R16 match at US Open. Djokovic 33-year-old accidentally hit a lineswoman for which he was disqualified and faced massive criticism. Thus, Nadal is the first athlete to defeat Novak Djokovic in 2020.

Meanwhile, Toni Nadal is genuinely surprised by the fact that Djokovic despite being immensely dominant, went down without a proper fight in Paris.

“It surprises me that a great champion like him falls sometimes, and more frequently lately, into such a negative gesture. I have always understood that taking care of body language has a double effect: towards oneself and towards the rival,” the 59-year-old said. 

After falling against Rafa in the finals, Djokovic himself made a major statement. The Serb addressed his critics and mentioned how he can’t possibly end up in everyone’s good books. Nevertheless, the fact that Novak Djokovic is a dominant force in the ATP circuit will never fade away.