Nadal’s Backhand Hits Djokovic In The Face

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 12th August 2013

Nadal’s Backhand Hits Djokovic In The Face

epa03820047 Serbian Novak Djokovic reacts to Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's semi-final singles match at the Rogers Cup Open ATP tennis tournament in Montreal, Canada, 10 Aug 2013. Nadal won the match. EPA/ANDRE PICHETTE |

Srdjan Djokovic, the father of world no.1 Novak who maintained things were less than convivial these days between his son and Rafael Nadal, would no doubt cite it as evidence. Ivan Lendl, long a proponent of such tactics, would probably have nodded in respect.

But those who maintain things aren’t quite as hospitable amongst the sport’s elite as the ATP World Tour publicity machine would have us believe, had much on which to speculate as Nadal drilled a fully-hit backhand straight into Djokovic’s face during Saturday’s Rogers Cup semi-final in Montreal.

The blow came less than 24 hours after Milos Raonic’s sportsmanship was brought into question by both Juan Martin del Potro and television evidence after the Canadian failed to admit he ran into the net and therefore concede a point after hitting an apparent winner.

Djokovic initially seemed angered by Nadal’s tactics with the Spaniard immediately offering contrition. As Nadal looked at his opponent with an expression of concern and held his hands up in an apologetic gesture, Djokovic first grimaced in pain and then simply glared back for a second before turning away, apparently shunning any form of apology.

But by the time the match was over, eventual Rogers Cup champion Nadal a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 winner, the pair were back on friendly terms. They embraced at the net and Djokovic refused to escalate any hostility in the ensuing press conference.

“We sorted it out in the end, so it’s all fine,” responded Djokovic to an initial question about the incident. Then later he was asked if he was upset to receive a ball in the face. “Well, at that moment, because it was an important point,” answered the world no.1. “But look, I don’t think he meant to go for my head. We sorted it out, as I said, in the end.”

Nadal clearly approached the net at the end with more words of apology for his long-term rival but maintained afterwards: “The only chance to win against Novak, the only tactic, is play very well. To play very well, I have to play aggressive. If not, I cannot play very well in this kind of surface.”

Raonic appears to have learned an important lesson from the Del Potro match. Afterwards he as good as admitted guilt when he said: “I was fortunate that the line judge didn’t see it. It’s a lucky thing for me in my sense, unlucky for him. Something that can go really both ways.

“It’s sort of the exact same thing as having no challenges left and you get a bad line call. It’s like a bad‑luck thing. It was hard to sort of be able to take this point on such a big point.”

But after summing up the tournament that saw him become the first Canadian to enter the world’s top ten, Raonic said: “The thing with Juan was unfortunate and something I’m going to learn a lot from.”