Novak Djokovic's favourite ATP reminiscence vs. Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal solid the best rivalry within the Open period. Two grand champions battled 60 occasions between Roland Garros 2006 and the Olympic Video games this summer season, with Novak scoring 31 victories. Talking on their rivalry, Djokovic picked considered one of his favourite duels towards Nadal.

Novak Djokovic, Miami Masters 2011© Stream screenshot

He additionally grew to become the fourth participant since 1990 to beat the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami firstly of the season. Novak and Rafa performed their 14th hard-court match, and the Serb delivered his ninth victory, persevering with the place he left in Indian Wells.

Nadal chased his first Miami Masters crown and made a dependable begin. He recovered from dropping the second set and pushed an in-form rival to the boundaries within the decider earlier than falling brief.

10 years later and nonetheless one of many biggest 🙌

ATP Tour Flashback introduced by Nitto takes us again to the 2011 Miami Open last between Rafa Nadal & Novak Djokovic 👀 pic.twitter.com/rhxaia63Nr

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 31, 2021 Novak’s numbers in a decent win over Rafa

Djokovic collected 13 factors greater than Nadal. He defended his second serve fantastically and confronted solely 4 break factors. The Serb dropped serve two occasions and stored the strain on the opposite aspect. The Spaniard performed towards 9 break factors and erased seven.

He remained aggressive for over three hours earlier than shedding floor within the decisive moments. Djokovic performed aggressive tennis, hitting extra winners and unforced errors. He drew extra compelled errors from world no. 1 and had the higher hand when it mattered essentially the most.

Novak constructed the benefit within the shortest and mid-range exchanges, taming his strokes properly and rising on the prime in one other memorable last.

Rafael Nadal, Miami Masters 2011© Stream screenshot

Nadal makes a powerful begin and wins the opener

The Serb kicked off the motion with a maintain at love. Nonetheless, he struggled behind the preliminary shot at 1-1, with Nadal firing a backhand down the road winner for a break and an early benefit. Novak made a push on the return within the fourth recreation, creating three break probabilities.

Nadal denied them, the second with a forehand winner after almost 30 strokes. Rafa welcomed Novak’s unfastened pictures, holding and transferring 3-1 in entrance. Djokovic misplaced the bottom after lacking his probabilities. He sprayed a forehand error within the fifth recreation to expertise one other break.

Serving at 4-1, Nadal saved a break level and introduced it dwelling, opening a 5-1 benefit after 36 minutes. Novak had another likelihood to lengthen the set within the eighth recreation, and he seized it. He drew an error from world no. 1 to safe his first break and prolong the set.

The Serb clinched the ninth recreation after a deuce, decreasing the hole to 5-4. Nadal served for the set in recreation ten and fired two service winners at 15-30. He welcomed Djokovic’s forehand error on a set level, wrapping up the primary a part of the duel 6-4.

Match #25, Miami 2011 Remaining (Djokovic-Nadal 9 : 16) pic.twitter.com/lmjAFyeaLS

— asud (@asud683385) October 21, 2024 Djokovic fights again and wins the second set

Novak produced a fantastic maintain firstly of the second set with a service winner. He made a push on the return within the subsequent one and welcomed Rafa’s large forehand error for a break and a 2-0 benefit. Djokovic missed a backhand within the third recreation, smashing his racquet.

Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic, Miami Masters 2011© Stream screenshot

The Serb denied a break level with a service winner and closed the sport to cement the lead and open a 3-0 benefit. The Spaniard lowered the deficit with a maintain at 30 in recreation 4 earlier than his rival grabbed the subsequent one at love with a lob winner for 4-1.

Novak landed one other lob winner within the sixth recreation and generated two break factors. Nadal denied them with unreturned serves earlier than going through the third after Djokovic’s backhand winner. The Spaniard erased it with a smash winner and held, remaining inside one break deficit.

Novak accomplished the seventh recreation with a volley winner, protecting the strain on the opposite aspect. Rafa served to remain within the set at 2-5 and fired three winners to lengthen the battle. Djokovic wrapped up the set in type, firing 4 winners in recreation 9 to pressure a decider.

Novak edges Rafa in a thriller

Nadal survived two deuces firstly of the ultimate set and closed the sport with a service winner after 9 minutes. Djokovic closed the second recreation with a forehand winner and bounced again from 0-30 in recreation 4, forcing the rival’s mistake and locking the consequence at 2-2.

Rafa held at 30 within the fifth recreation with a service winner. Novak responded with a forehand crosscourt winner within the subsequent one for 3-3 and extra drama. They served effectively in video games seven and eight, terminating them with winners and staying neck and neck.

Nadal welcomed Djokovic’s forehand error within the ninth recreation, transferring 5-4 up and protecting the strain on the opposite aspect. Novak endured it within the tenth recreation, producing a fantastic maintain and protecting his probabilities alive. The Spaniard delivered a maintain at love within the eleventh recreation with 4 winners.

The Serb served to remain within the match for the second time at 5-6. He stood two factors from the exit door after the rival’s cracking backhand down the road winner. Novak grabbed the fourth level with a service winner and introduced the sport dwelling, introducing a deciding tie break.

Nadal moved 2-1 up with one other sturdy backhand crosscourt, and Djokovic responded with a dependable forehand for 2-2. World no. 1 hit a expensive double fault within the fifth level to fall 3-2 behind and run out of steam. Novak grabbed two factors on serve to forge a 5-2 benefit.

The Serb painted a forehand down the road winner within the eighth level, extending his streak and producing 4 match factors. Rafa denied two earlier than Novak transformed the third with a forehand crosscourt winner, prevailing in a memorable last and lifting his seventh Masters 1000 crown.

“Rafa and I had plenty of great matches. The one that comes to my mind right now is the 2011 Miami Masters final. We went to the distance, and I won 7-6 in the third set,” Novak Djokovic mentioned.