If past is anything to go by then at French Open there are two theories :
- Rafael Nadal loses after a gap of 6 years
- Whosoever defeats him does not win the title.
1) Rafael Nadal loses after a gap of 6 years
Rafael Nadal lost in 2009, 2015, and now in 2021 which supports the first theory. Nadal had to withdraw from 2016 in the third round due to a wrist injury. For two consecutive years, he had not won the French Open but he came back fully fit in 2017 and won the Grand Slam without dropping a set and all set won on breaks.
Nadal was the champion for the next three years also and dropping a total of 3 sets only. He had again regained his French Open supremacy which was never in doubt for an outsider. He was expected to win again but was stopped by a determined Djokovic, who was beaten in 2020 final by Nadal. The third set of the semi-final was probably set of tournament and Djokovic did come out triumphs in a tiebreaker to take a 2 -1 lead and then closed outmatch by winning the fourth set on a break. Nadal was again defeated after a gap of 6 years (not counting 2016 as Nadal withdraws in the third round).
Rafael Nadal is 35 and how much fuel is left in his tank needs to be seen. If he gets defeated next year then the theory will be proved wrong but have to wait for a year’s time.
2) Whosoever defeats him does not win the title
Coming to the second theory after the first two sets it looked at will be justified. Tsitsipas was in complete control but he was facing a player who had 18 Grand Slams and who can run a marathon the whole day.
Novak Djokovic upped his game and came roaring back by winning the third and fourth set in a canter. Tsitsipas was found wanting and he himself knew that by not winning 4th set his moment of glory had slipped. Djokovic was one break away from gaining control and once he got that early he never allowed his opponent a route back into the match. Tsitsipas had run out of fuel and Djokovic closed out the set and match on the 10th game of the final set.
“I've achieved some things that a lot of people thought it would be not possible for me to achieve."
Paving his own path, Novak Djokovic once again wrote himself into the history books 👇#RolandGarros
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 14, 2021
Even if you are a number 1 player, coming back from 2 sets down in a Grand Slam Final is no mean achievement and Djokovic should cherish this for a long time. The second theory has been proven wrong because a beast was up against it. Winning all four Grand Slams twice and only becoming third to do so.