‘Djokovic is the favorite, whenever he plays’ – Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been in entirely different scenarios since last year. While Nadal recovered last year to clinch 2 grand slams, Djokovic has struggled immensely to get back to form and fitness this year. Nadal has clinched 2 tournaments already this clay court season, while Djokovic hasn’t even managed to reach the third round of any of them.

While Djokovic showcased good gameplay against Kei Nishikori in the first round of Madrid Open, he lost in the second round against Kyle Edmund. Rafael Nadal, who has had a tremendous rivalry against Djokovic said that he is certain that the Serb will bounce back, very soon.

‘Well, at the end of the day when Djokovic plays, normally he’s always favourite,’ he said after his own win over Gael Monfils. ‘Whenever he loses, it’s a surprise.

‘But we’re talking about a sport that the matches are normally decided in a few shots, small details. When things are going well, everything works out. When things are not going so well, then everything seems more difficult.

‘I believe a lot in dynamics, in momentum. For example, my match today, I had a breakpoint in the first set, then with 2-0 I had a breakpoint against me. I managed to save some breakpoints, and I was 3-Love. Something that could have been 3-Love down was 3-Love up, so.

‘These are things that matter, things that happen. Usually when you have confidence, these things fall on your side. Maybe when you don’t have momentum, you’re in a more difficult moment, other things happen.

‘Look, today Djokovic I think in the 4-3 he thought it was out, it was in. Small things happen that normally when you’re in a good momentum, those things don’t happen. When you don’t have that momentum, you’re in a negative way, these things happen.

‘Saying that, I think he’s going step by step to be able to recover and be at the category he deserves. I don’t have any doubt that he’s going to be back up at the highest level.’

‘Things are difficult. Nothing is easy in our sport. I really believe that he knows that, I know that, and everybody knows how difficult is stay there all the time, no?

‘What Novak did on this sport is amazing. He will continue doing a lot of great things in the future. I don’t have any doubt of that.’