The 2020
Roland Garros ATP final is upon us with
Novak Djokovic set to take on
Rafael Nadal in a matchup that has many storylines behind it.
The 2020 Roland Garros final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal is going to be an epic one for many different reasons. When the players step onto the red clay on Sunday 15:00 CET the whole world will be watching and for good reason. On the one side, we have Novak Djokovic who technically hasn't lost a match this year, who is reining number one and who is eager to clinch a grand slam title which slipped through his fingers in New York.
On the other hand, we have Rafael Nadal a man who is practically invincible on the red clay of Paris boasting an unreal record at the Roland Garros and a man who could tie Roger Federer for the most slams in history. So we have a historic rivalry, at a historic venue for a historic prize and the chance to set records. That in all screams fantastic final but when we dig deeper we find even more evidence.
Boris Becker said a few days ago that Nadal has looked impressive and he certainly has. Many thought after his Rome defeat that Nadal was not in the best of form but he dispelled those rumours quickly. En route to the final, he didn't lose a set which "normal" for him in Paris. He also displayed stellar from and strong play from the baseline.
Djokovic on the other hand has only one defeat in this short season which was a defaulting from the US Open that is debatable. On the court, he was never beaten this year and while his route to the final was a bit bumpier in a statement recently he said he is feeling mentally stronger than ever. That is not something to discard easily as tennis has a lot to do with mental fortitude. Their H2H is too vast to explore into detail but looking at their last 4 clay matches Nadal is leading 3-1. He last lost to Novak on clay at Rome in 2016. The last meeting was in Rome last year with Nadal winning 6-0 4-6 6-1.
The odds favour Nadal in this one and deservedly so as clay is his speciality and the Roland Garros is "his tournament". Djokovic will do what he can but with the nagging shoulder issues and the struggles against Nadal on clay, it looks like a long day for him. Either way, stellar tennis and a good fight between two opponents who respect each other immensely is guaranteed. And we will have a recap for you as soon as it finishes so don't go far.