Novak Djokovic celebrates win over Rafael Nadal at Paris Olympics with signature 'violin' tribute to daughter Tara
Novak Djokovic celebrated his second-round win over Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics by imitating playing a violin with his racket, a tribute to his daughter, Tara. The encounter between Nadal and Djokovic at the 2024 Summer Games marked their 60th.
Djokovic dominated the match right from the outset, winning the first set 6-1. The second set started in a similar fashion, as Nadal struggled and was 4-0 behind the Serb. However, the 22-time Grand Slam champion then mounted a comeback, winning four consecutive games. Still, Djokovic won the set 6-4 and clinched the match. Courtesy of his latest win, the Serb now holds a 31-29 head-to-head advantage over Nadal.
Following his emphatic triumph, the 37-year-old entertained the fans with his violin celebration, reminiscent of his celebration at Wimbledon 2024. Djokovic had earlier mentioned that the celebration was a tribute to his five-year-old daughter Tara, who was learning to play the violin.
Djokovic has never won a gold at the Olympics and will thus be looking to win his first at this year's edition of the marquee event.
"You can't give Rafael Nadal any chances": Novak Djokovic
After the match, Novak Djokovic said that he felt relieved, as he realized that everything was going his way on the day. The Serb emphasized the importance of not giving Nadal any chances, especially with the Philippe Chatrier crowd backing him.
"I'm very relieved because everything seemed to be going my way at 6-1 and 4-0, maybe I felt too comfortable at that moment. At 4-1, I played a regular serve. You can't give Nadal any chances because he'll take them, he'll get back into the match, especially on this court with the crowd involved," Djokovic said to Eurosport. ( Via Punto de Break).
When the scores tied in the second set, Djokovic said he found the match to be challenging. The Serb, however, expressed satisfaction with his own performance.
"It was very tough, the crucial game at 4-4, the last game with used balls and trying to break his serve and then serve with new balls. I did well on my last two serves, but it was a very, very close match, especially in the second set. I'm very happy with the level at which I played," he added.
Despite his singles exit, Rafael Nadal is still in contention for a third Olympic gold medal, partnering with Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles. The Spanish duo has progressed to the second round, where they will face the Netherlands' Wesley Koolhof and Tallon Griekspoor.