"If I think 'Mission Impossible,' then I shouldn't go to the court" - When Novak Djokovic spoke on facing Rafael Nadal in Monte-Carlo Masters final
Novak Djokovic once exuded confidence regarding his ability to pose a formidable challenge to Rafael Nadal in the Monte-Carlo Masters final in 2009.
Nadal enjoyed a dominant reign at the Monte-Carlo Masters, winning four consecutive titles from 2005 to 2008. The Spaniard entered the 2009 edition of the Masters 1000 event as the top seed and the firm favorite to clinch a fifth straight title.
Breezing through to the final without dropping a set, the Spaniard set the stage for a blockbuster title clash against third seed Novak Djokovic, who was making his first appearance in the final of the prestigious tournament.
Following his 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals, Djokovic looked ahead to facing Nadal in the final. He dismissed the notion of viewing the clash as 'Mission Impossible,' stating that doing so would be like waving the white flag before even taking the court.
"No. If I think 'Mission Impossible,' then I shouldn't go to the court, like with the white flag. But I understand," he said in his post-match press conference.
The Serb also emphasized the necessity of having full faith in his abilities to stand a chance of beating Nadal.
"Look, you can't win against him if you don't believe that you can win," he said.
"I will try to win because this is finals and I think I have chances. This is the only behavior that is acceptable for winning against Nadal on this surface," he added.
Novak Djokovic: "It's gonna be a lot of pressure on Rafael Nadal because he's obviously a favorite to win it again"
Novak Djokovic went on to acknowledge Rafael Nadal's impressive improvements since his triumph at the 2008 Monte-Carlo Masters, particularly with regard to his serve and backhand.
However, he highlighted the pressure on the Spaniard to defend his title and conveyed his own motivation to pull off the win.
"Yes. The fact is that he has improved even more from last year. His backhand was maybe a weakness where players were searching for their chance. But now he's stepping in and he's basically not making a lot of mistakes on backhand, making the player run all over the court," he said in the same press conference.
"He's improved his serve. His physical strength and mental strength we already know. You know, generally he's a very complete player. But everything is possible in tennis. It's a finals. I'm motivated. It's gonna be a lot of pressure on him because he's obviously a favorite to win it again. So that's it," he added.
The Serb also shared his intention to employ an aggressive style of play against Nadal in the final.
"I just said. Look, I'm going to have to play an aggressive game. That's the way it is. That's my style," he said.
However, Djokovic's strategy fell short, as the Spaniard claimed a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 victory to clinch his fifth consecutive title at the Masters 1000 event.