Djokovic Poops Nadal's Party

It was a passionate love story, and a happy ending was much anticipated.  Spain’s world no.1, Rafael Nadal, returned to the capital city of his homeland, where adoring Madridians gathered at La Caja Mágica (the Magic Box), fully expecting their idol to successfully defend the Mutua Madrid Open.  After all, the “King of Clay” arrived in Madrid unbeaten in 34 outings on his favourite surface, and this tally was upped to 37 via a 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 dismissal of old rival Roger Federer in the Semi-finals (Nadal was able to reach the decider with only three wins, as his scheduled third round opponent, Juan Martín del Potro, withdrew).  On top of this, Spain’s greatest ever golfer, Seve Ballesteros, had tragically died the day before the final, aged only 54, and it would have been a fitting tribute to the three times Open and twice Masters Champion had Spain’s greatest ever tennis player lifted the trophy that weekend.

But the much anticipated happy ending failed to materialize.  Novak Djokovic had not read the script, and, instead, the Magic Box witnessed a spectacular conjuring trick; the Serb gliding to a 7-5, 6-4 victory; his first clay-court besting of Nadal.  In ending the Spaniard’s winning streak Djokovic extended his own, on all surfaces, to 32 consecutive victories in 2011, the best start to a year since John McEnroe notched 42 straight wins in 1984.

To beat McEnroe’s record Djokovic does not have to win Roland Garros (if he wins the Internazionali BNL d’Italia this week, losing in the final in Paris, as McEnroe did in his annus mirabilis, will get the job done).  But why should Djokovic have to settle for second best in France now?  Nadal may have won the clay-court Grand Slam five times in the last six years (losing only to Robin Soderling in 2009, when suffering from tendinitis in both knees), but Djokovic is playing the tennis of his life, and must no longer fear the Majorcan on any surface, particularly as Nadal has been less than convincing on clay this year, even before his loss to Djokovic.  He has been winning, yes, but not with his customary authority.

Ultimately, though, Djokovic’s undoing may be not technique, but endurance.  He may now possess the game to capture Roland Garros, but how much petrol is left in his tank?  McEnroe’s sublime natural talent enabled him to win those 42 matches relatively effortlessly, but Djokovic is more of a workhorse (in Madrid, for example, he needed three sets to overcome both David Ferrer in the quarter-finals, and Thomaz Bellucci in the semis).  The danger for Djokovic is that by the time the three Slams he has yet to claim, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, come around his best tennis this year will be behind him, leaving him with only the less glamorous Australian Open in his Grand Slam trophy cabinet once more.

In Madrid Djokovic pooped Nadal’s party, but who will be partying when the biggest prizes of all are handed out?

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