Print

Mail

wiki links

Djokovic predicts tough showdown with Nadal

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas attends a match between Spanish players Rafael Nadal and Carlos Moya in the French Open quarter-finals at Roland Garros in Paris on Wednesday. Nadal won 6-4, 6-3, 6-0. PHOTO: AFP

Novak Djokovic hit delicate drop shots and 200kph serves, thunderous forehands and sharply angled backhands, mixing strokes so well even the relentless Rafael Nadal struggled to chase them down.

That was two months ago at the hard-court final in Key Biscayne, Florida, where Djokovic achieved the biggest victory of his career. Another milestone looms today, when the genial Serb plays in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time at the French Open.

Once again, the opponent will be Nadal. This time the Spaniard will be on his favorite surface -- clay.

"He plays much better on the clay," Djokovic said. "So it's not the same match, it's not the same player. On clay you have to do more and try more to earn the point, because the balls he doesn't get on the hard court, he gets here. So it's going to be difficult."

Top-ranked Roger Federer, seeking the only Grand Slam title he has yet to win, will face Nikolay Davydenko in the other semi-final. A much-anticipated rematch of last year's Nadal-Federer final looms.

But don't count Djokovic out. At 20 he's the newest celebrity in men's tennis, touted as a future Grand Slam champion because of his athleticism and all-around game.

The slender Djokovic may lack the strength and stamina to stay with the muscular Nadal in a grinding clay-court match, however. Nadal is 19-0 at Roland Garros, 32-0 in best-of-five-set matches on clay and bidding to become the first man to win three consecutive French titles since Bjorn Borg in 1978-1981.

Nadal's run in Paris includes a victory in last year's quarter-finals against Djokovic, who retired with a back injury trailing 6-4, 6-4.

"He's the best player in the world on this surface, and everybody knows that," Djokovic said. "He's really dominant, and he didn't lose in the French Open for the past three years. So he plays with a lot of motivation and confidence. And physically he's very ready and probably the most prepared player on the tour.

"He's a big favorite, whoever he plays against on this surface, but I hope it's going to be a good match."

Djokovic advanced on Wednesday by beating Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, while Nadal impressed friend and mentor Carlos Moya by winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-0.

"There are just a few players who cannot just beat him, but even get a set from him," Moya said. "Federer's one of them, and Djokovic can be one of them.

"Djokovic is a guy that is improving a lot. He's very complete player, and he's playing very well on any kind of surface, and he has all the shots. So I think he has a chance to -- I don't know if he can win, but he has the game to play well and to give Nadal some trouble."
This story has been viewed 1178 times.