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Updated June 16th, 2021 at 19:32 IST

Novak Djokovic's secret weapon to beat Rafael Nadal in French Open 2021 revealed

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has revealed one of the secrets behind the valiant efforts that helped him secure his 19th Grand Slam title at the French Open 2021.

Reported by: Sharmistha More
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic | Image:self
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After a valiant effort at the French Open 2021 helped Novak Djokovic Grand Slams count go up to 19 - just one away from both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal - the World No. 1 has revealed one of the secrets behind his win. Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era of tennis to achieve a career double Grand Slam - winning all four majors at least twice - beating both his competitors to reach the milestone. His victory was even sweeter as he was handed the herculean task of defeating 13-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals if he wanted to continue his run at the tournament. 

Novak Djokovic French Open 2021 secret revealed

As he prepares to equal Federer and Nadal's Grand Slam record at the Wimbledon 2021 Championships, Novak Djokovic revealed a critical tactic that helped him get to the French Open final. Taking on the indomitable Rafael Nadal in the semis, Djokovic enlisted the help of Leo Bresson, a tennis player and student at the William Carey University, Mississippi to train with him prior to the crucial fixture. With an army of resources available to him, it is interesting to note the reason behind Bresson being selected as a sparring partner for the World No. 1. 

The main reason for Bresson's selection for this role seems to have been the fact that he is left-handed, like Rafael Nadal. “Nadal is a lefty, so Novak was looking for a left-handed practice partner to get the perfect preparation," WCU head tennis coach Marc Lux said in a media release. Ranked No. 2 by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Bresson had high praise for the Serb, saying, "Not many people get to train with the No. 1 in the world... He is 100% going to be a legend in this sport... He is already, but in the end, I think he will have more Grand Slams than Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal". 

Djokovic vs Nadal head to head stats

Following his gutsy defeat of Rafa in the French Open semi-finals, the Djokovic vs Nadal head to head currently stands at 30-28, just slightly in favour of the Serbian. As is expected, both players dominate over each other on their surfaces of choice - with Novak Djokovic holding a massive 20-7 advantage on hard courts and Nadal having won 19 of his 27 meetings against the Serb on clay. The pair stand at an equal 2-2 on Grass Courts. 

With 36 Masters 1000 titles each and Djokovic now holding 19 Grand Slam titles compared to Nadal's tally of 20, the two legends are barely distinguishable in any area of the game. Rafa currently leads the pair in ATP 500 titles, with 22 to Djokovic's 14. However, the World No. 1 catches up when you take into account his 5 year-end titles and the Spaniard's zero wins in that arena. Nadal also boasts one Olympic Gold for Spain while Djokovic has a Bronze from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Novak Djokovic French Open 2021 final highlights

After defending a breakpoint early in the first set, Stefanos Tsitsipas put on a near-perfect game to get to set point on Djokovic's serve at 5-4. However, with a valiant fightback and two back to back breaks of serve, Set 1 went Tsitsipas' way in a tie break. The second set saw Djokovic unsettled right from the start, as he lost his first serve and went on to lose 6-2, shocking fans around the world. With his error count taking a huge dip and his service number back up, Djokovic won the third set 6-3 and got the ball rolling for his eventual 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 title win.

Image Credits: Novak Djokovic Twitter

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Published June 16th, 2021 at 19:32 IST

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