On Tuesday night, two giants met on cobblestones in Paris. But the time of the match became a bitter dispute between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
– I don’t like evening matches on gravel. I’ve been very clear about it, says Rafael Nadal at a press conference reported by AP.
But he did not get his wish.
Tuesday’s quarter-final match between Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the French Open does not begin until the quarter-finals. Casper Rodd also received Evening match In the quarter-finals Wednesday night against Dankey Holger Ron.
- Nadal vs Djokovic broadcasts live on Eurosport Norway and Discovery+. You can watch the entire French Open on Discovery+.
The statements of both the Serbian and the Spaniard indicate that both have submitted a request to the organizer, each with the time of the match that they desire.
Novak Djokovic got a chance to turn things around.
– All I can say is that Rafa and I will make different requests. As top players, we have influence, but desires don’t always come true. It has a lot to do with what the TV company wants, Djokovic tells The Associated Press.
In January, Nadal won an evening championship, the Australian Open. However, there is a completely different surface:
Last week, Nadal appeared in the media and criticized the strategy of the new French Open with frequent evening matches.
Playing on pebbles in the evening is a completely different thing than during the day. The humidity is higher, the ball is slowing down, and it can be heavy, especially when it’s cold. There is a big difference, said Nadal, who has won the tournament 13 times.
By then, he had played the entire tournament in broad daylight.
– You just have to adapt. Sometimes you want an advantage, other times the opponent has an advantage. That’s how it is, says Djokovic.
Nadal coach Carlos Moya says it is a “business decision”.
Rafa is an influence, he won the championship 13 times, and if he has a request they should listen to him. It’s part of the French Open’s story, Moya says, but in the end maybe it’s about being a company, and we understand that.
The Spaniard tried to influence the regulator by hinting at the end of his career.
– If things don’t go my way, this could be my last game here, and I’d like to play it during the day. He says I know the tournament during the day, not so much in the evening, because that’s how I’ve played it all my life.
If there is any doubt: the match will be on Tuesday eveningand you’ll see it on Discovery+.
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