"Plays the match of his life then can't carry through": Luca Nardi berated by Jimmy Connors for failing to capitalise on Djokovic upset

Often a trope in sport sees a big name dumped out by a smaller name and them failing to capitalise on momentum, Luca Nardi was one of those who saw off Novak Djokovic as World No.123 but failed to add to that at Indian Wells.

Nardi swiftly lost to Tommy Paul after only getting into the draw in the first place as a lucky loser. But Jimmy Connors in particular berated the Italian for his inability to follow through and said that he should've thought about it in terms of winning the tournament instead of just beating Djokovic.

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"I gotta go back to the old days and call a guy like that a ‘stopper’. He goes out, plays the match of his life and he beats Djokovic and then can't carry through. Tennis consistency… every match you go out and play, you bring your best and give it everything you have," Connors said on Advantage Connors.

"But the feeling of beating a guy like Djokovic, who's the number one player in the world, one million Grand Slams or whatever he's won, the feeling you get after that… the euphoria is something you have to know how to control and understand that, 'Hey wait a minute, this is only the third round, I've got four more rounds to win to win this tournament'

"A lot of guys beat [Jimmy] Connors, a lot of guys beat [Bjorn] Borg, a lot of guys beat Mac [John McEnroe], a lot of guys beat [Ivan] Lendl, do you win the tournament? Or is it a one-off. Until Sunday comes around, you've got to figure out a way to keep your game and mental… the mental is more important than the game. Because the game is always there, it's about what you're willing after beating a guy like Djokovic to walk out and say you're going to preserve your body."

Liam Blutman

@Blutman27

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bruh Luca Nardi is BALLING OUT OF HIS MIND x.com/LiamTennisStuf…

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