Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic developed a formidable rivalry between Roland Garros 2006 and Cincinnati 2009. They performed 19 matches on the Tour, with Nadal scoring 14 victories. Nadal and Djokovic had been fascinated with taking part in on the identical facet of the courtroom, and it ought to come on the 2009 Cincinnati Masters.
On the final second, Nadal determined to skip the doubles and concentrate on his singles marketing campaign after staying away from the courtroom for 2 months attributable to knee points. Coping with tendonitis, Nadal suffered the fourth-round loss at Roland Garros to Robin Soderling in 4 units, experiencing the primary defeat in Paris and lacking the upcoming Wimbledon.
Returning to the courtroom in Montreal, Rafa beat David Ferrer and Philipp Petzschner to succeed in the quarters earlier than dropping to Juan Martin del Potro 7-6, 6-1 after dropping floor in set quantity two. The Spaniard went to Cincinnati and prevailed over Andreas Seppi within the opening spherical earlier than toppling Paul-Henri Mathieu and Tomas Berdych to search out himself within the semi-final.
Regardless of a dependable efficiency in opposition to the Czech, Nadal’s stage was not sufficient to problem Novak Djokovic in a battle for the ultimate.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal deliberate to play the doubles in Cincinnati 2009.
Djokovic sailed previous Nadal 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 32 minutes.
He performed on a excessive stage from begin to end to finish the dropping streak in opposition to the Spaniard and stay on the title course. Novak was the extra aggressive participant, keen to maintain the factors on his racquet and dictate the tempo.
Djokovic cast the benefit within the shortest factors as much as 4 strokes and saved the one break level to maintain the strain on the opposite facet. Novak earned three breaks to regulate the scoreboard and beat Rafa in the identical spherical for the second straight yr.
Djokovic was a participant on a mission within the opener, securing two breaks for a commanding 6-1 very quickly. Novak broke Rafa as soon as within the second to maneuver excessive and set one other thrilling conflict in opposition to Roger Federer. “It is true; Rafa and I ought to have performed the doubles right here in Cincinnati.
Sadly, Rafa was not prepared bodily to play singles and doubles, so he opted to compete in singles alone. Possibly we’ll get one other probability to play collectively sooner or later,” Novak Djokovic stated.
