Internazionali BNL d’Italia: Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal – Final Preview
Reigning world number two, Novak Djokovic of Serbia, enters his seventh final of the season on Sunday (May 15, 2011) as he takes on world number one Rafael Nadal of Spain.
Meeting for the fourth time this season, Djokovic takes on the King of Clay in the title match of Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, Italy.
Standing on a 35 match winning streak this season – 40 if you count the 2011 Hopman Cup and 2010 Davis Cup final, Djokovic is the recent juggernaut of the tennis world.
Starting the year at the ITF event, the Hopman Cup partnering Ana Ivanovic, Djokovic won all three singles matches at the event beating, Aussie Lleyton Hewitt, Belgian Ruben Bemelmans and Kazakh Andrey Golubev.
This was just the beginning of his ascent. Not having participated at any of the season openers, Djokovic started his tour at the season opening Grand Slam, the Australian Open where he met and defeated Andy Murray in the final to clinch the coveted title.
Continuing on tour, Djokovic bagged five more titles winning them at Dubai, Belgrade, Indian Wells, Miami and the most recent, Madrid.
Meeting, Nadal in three of these, Djokovic was able to successfully reduce his head-to-head deficit against the Spaniard to 10-16.
Although the Spaniard may boast the six match lead he holds over the Serb, it may be noted that Djokovic has already been successful against the Spaniard three times, perhaps instilling the dreaded mental block in the Spaniard. This may be more than enough to counteract Nadal’s advantage in the head-to-head.
However, it would be unwise to completely write off the Spaniard. After all Rafa has been the reigning world number one since June 2010. Though the Spaniard may not have much to match the Serb’s brilliant record this season, his cap is not without its feathers.
Crumbling before the title matches of the season opener and the Australian Open, it was not until Indian Wells that the Spaniard made his way into his first title match of the season. However, luck did not favour the Mallorca resident since he failed to clinch the title win, falling again a week later at Miami. It wasn’t until Monte Carlo, when the Spaniard was able to clinch his first title of the season and his seventh at that event. He followed this with another title win at Barcelona a week later.
Although Nadal already has two titles on clay this season, it must be noted that he did not face Djokovic in either of them. The only time the two have met on clay this season, the Serb emerged as the victor.
One could argue that Djokovic had to rally from a set down at Indian Wells and Miami to do away with Nadal. However, coming to the Spaniard’s favourite surface – the clay court at Madrid, Djokovic sailed to a straight sets victory.
Tightening the race to world number one, Djokovic may have the Nadal’s pressure of points defence play to his advantage.
Although both titans are evenly poised, given his recent run Djokovic may hold an ace or two which might help in his destruction of the Spaniard for the fourth time this season.
Tags: