G.O.A.T. Few go where the only sound is a voice. Their own. Watching Federer matches, certainly Djoker matches, they are playing that particular opponent. Anticipating, Planning the counter. Watching Rafa, opponent could be anyone. A foil. Whose purpose is to return shots for Rafa to play. Like Neo in Matrix. Curiosly pick bullets out of the air and inspect them. Djoker, try as he might, couldn’t make Rafa see him. Or feel him. Rafa was playing a different game. Like watching Jordan. What a pleasure to have seen play.
Thank you Joe for focusing on the journey rather than the destination. Too much is written/spoken on who will rightfully hold GOAT status when it's all said and done rather than continuing to enjoy the continued rivalry.
I did a little dive - turned out to be deeper than I planned - doesn't it usually :) on the supposed icy relationship compared to the Federer-Nadal "friendship". I think most of these perceptions are pushed by highly partisan fans who can't stand the other two and the tabloid/click-bait stories trying to create controversy. I appreciate their polite and respectful rivalry and how they channel their competitive drive into being better players which has continued to give us great matches. I don't think their greatness would have continued if they instead tried to maintain the perception of greatness through bravado and intimidation.
This is one of the best articles on the two best Tennis players! I loved it when you mentioned that there’s something between the two that both don’t talk about. Something unknown to the world and only known between them. It was as if I was reading Murakami 😀
Wonderful article. I like your theory that Rafa was just able to dig deeper because he can see the finish line. I think it could also be because Djokovic hadn't played a match this physical in a while due to his missing the Australian Open.
I do think however, that you're wrong about Djokovics level in the second set being unreachable by any tennis player. I think the highest level we have seen still remains Nadal at his best on this very court.
What a brilliant lovely article, i got so emotional for someone who watched their rivalry from the very beginning. It hurts knowing that it might be their last one, I can’t imagine tennis without them and I can’t imagine that Nadal- Djokovic rivalry will be only memories.
Joe, I love your writing and your love of sport, but: Is there any way you can get rid of the mid-article ads? They're distracting and they always make me think I've reached the end of the article. A couple times I've even exited out of an article, thinking, "That ended abruptly," before realizing what I'd done. Thanks for considering it!
I admit I've also occasionally gotten distracted by the breaks in the middle of his pieces. But the way I look at it, if those are putting a little extra money in Joe's pocket, I can certainly live with them.
(I also assume those are a Substack feature, and one Joe doesn't have any control over.)
LOL, that's wild -- I subscribe to two others, and they also have them. So maybe I'm wrong and it really is at the discretion of the author. Either way, I'm willing to live with it.
Can’t wait for the Tennis 3 urr I mean the Tennis 100 book to come out. Come on Joe - you know you want to write it. Or at least, we know we want to read it!
Joe, I'm new to your Substack but certainly no stranger to your baseball writing. I fell out of love with baseball after the 1994 strike and I've never returned. But I find your writing utterly engaging. So I suppose that makes me a Joe Posnanski more than a baseball fan. Tennis is my favorite sport, having discovered it during Wimbledon 1980 (Borg v. McEnroe).
I'm embarrassed to admit that this the first of your tennis writing that I've encountered. What a wonderful piece about Nadal/Djokovic LIX. As I sat there watching yesterday's match with my wife and 10-year-old son (a tournament tennis player and über-Nadal fan) I lamented, "The sad thing is that this high-quality of a match with these two transcendent athletes is happening at Roland Garros, and therefore only on Tennis Channel in the States. Had this been one of the other majors (thus televised on ESPN) it would have a chance to captivate those who aren't tennis fans but can appreciate two great athletes locked in epic sporting drama."
Thank you again for putting yesterday's match and, more importantly, the complicated Nadal/Djokovic rivalry in such marvelous perspective. When both players are done and enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, someone needs to write a book or produce a 30 for 30 about their rivalry. I hope they consult you for input.
Joe has written many fine tennis articles, but one that I always remember is when he wrote about Juan Martin del Potro defeating Djokovic in the Olympics. Definitely worth checking out if you've missed out on his tennis writing before now. I truly hope one day Joe is the one to write a book about Federer / Nadal / Djokovic.
If this is your first tennis article of. Joe’s that you’ve read then you’ve missed a lot over the years. He writes about tennis quite a bit. This blog, at The Athletic, on his old blog- at every one of his many homes on the internet.
Like most of the world, I couldn't watch the match, so I have to experience it vicariously through recaps and summaries and journalism. I've read quite a few of them, but I didn't have a good feel for the match until I read this. Thanks, as always, Joe.
G.O.A.T. Few go where the only sound is a voice. Their own. Watching Federer matches, certainly Djoker matches, they are playing that particular opponent. Anticipating, Planning the counter. Watching Rafa, opponent could be anyone. A foil. Whose purpose is to return shots for Rafa to play. Like Neo in Matrix. Curiosly pick bullets out of the air and inspect them. Djoker, try as he might, couldn’t make Rafa see him. Or feel him. Rafa was playing a different game. Like watching Jordan. What a pleasure to have seen play.
Thank you Joe for focusing on the journey rather than the destination. Too much is written/spoken on who will rightfully hold GOAT status when it's all said and done rather than continuing to enjoy the continued rivalry.
I did a little dive - turned out to be deeper than I planned - doesn't it usually :) on the supposed icy relationship compared to the Federer-Nadal "friendship". I think most of these perceptions are pushed by highly partisan fans who can't stand the other two and the tabloid/click-bait stories trying to create controversy. I appreciate their polite and respectful rivalry and how they channel their competitive drive into being better players which has continued to give us great matches. I don't think their greatness would have continued if they instead tried to maintain the perception of greatness through bravado and intimidation.
Those last 3 paragraphs really is perfect description of what Rafa and Nole really encompass as an individual! Great piece of writing!
This is one of the best articles on the two best Tennis players! I loved it when you mentioned that there’s something between the two that both don’t talk about. Something unknown to the world and only known between them. It was as if I was reading Murakami 😀
Wonderful article. I like your theory that Rafa was just able to dig deeper because he can see the finish line. I think it could also be because Djokovic hadn't played a match this physical in a while due to his missing the Australian Open.
I do think however, that you're wrong about Djokovics level in the second set being unreachable by any tennis player. I think the highest level we have seen still remains Nadal at his best on this very court.
What a brilliant lovely article, i got so emotional for someone who watched their rivalry from the very beginning. It hurts knowing that it might be their last one, I can’t imagine tennis without them and I can’t imagine that Nadal- Djokovic rivalry will be only memories.
Awesome! I don’t care about tennis at all, yet I still read this article all the way. It’s a testament to the quality of your writing.
We are so privileged to have these guys performing as they do in our lifetimes. We just need to sit back and enjoy
P.s Joe thanks for your incredible words as always, a pleasure
You had written about your awe at having encountered Roger Angell. One day some young writer will say the same thing about you. May you live to 101!
Joe, I love your writing and your love of sport, but: Is there any way you can get rid of the mid-article ads? They're distracting and they always make me think I've reached the end of the article. A couple times I've even exited out of an article, thinking, "That ended abruptly," before realizing what I'd done. Thanks for considering it!
I admit I've also occasionally gotten distracted by the breaks in the middle of his pieces. But the way I look at it, if those are putting a little extra money in Joe's pocket, I can certainly live with them.
(I also assume those are a Substack feature, and one Joe doesn't have any control over.)
I'm a paid subscriber to at least one other Substack and they don't have them.
LOL, that's wild -- I subscribe to two others, and they also have them. So maybe I'm wrong and it really is at the discretion of the author. Either way, I'm willing to live with it.
Can’t wait for the Tennis 3 urr I mean the Tennis 100 book to come out. Come on Joe - you know you want to write it. Or at least, we know we want to read it!
Check this out
https://www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/02/01/introducing-the-tennis-128/
Brilliant! Thanks for the link!
Joe, I'm new to your Substack but certainly no stranger to your baseball writing. I fell out of love with baseball after the 1994 strike and I've never returned. But I find your writing utterly engaging. So I suppose that makes me a Joe Posnanski more than a baseball fan. Tennis is my favorite sport, having discovered it during Wimbledon 1980 (Borg v. McEnroe).
I'm embarrassed to admit that this the first of your tennis writing that I've encountered. What a wonderful piece about Nadal/Djokovic LIX. As I sat there watching yesterday's match with my wife and 10-year-old son (a tournament tennis player and über-Nadal fan) I lamented, "The sad thing is that this high-quality of a match with these two transcendent athletes is happening at Roland Garros, and therefore only on Tennis Channel in the States. Had this been one of the other majors (thus televised on ESPN) it would have a chance to captivate those who aren't tennis fans but can appreciate two great athletes locked in epic sporting drama."
Thank you again for putting yesterday's match and, more importantly, the complicated Nadal/Djokovic rivalry in such marvelous perspective. When both players are done and enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, someone needs to write a book or produce a 30 for 30 about their rivalry. I hope they consult you for input.
Keep up the good work and God bless.
Derek in Wichita, KS
Joe has written many fine tennis articles, but one that I always remember is when he wrote about Juan Martin del Potro defeating Djokovic in the Olympics. Definitely worth checking out if you've missed out on his tennis writing before now. I truly hope one day Joe is the one to write a book about Federer / Nadal / Djokovic.
If this is your first tennis article of. Joe’s that you’ve read then you’ve missed a lot over the years. He writes about tennis quite a bit. This blog, at The Athletic, on his old blog- at every one of his many homes on the internet.
Like most of the world, I couldn't watch the match, so I have to experience it vicariously through recaps and summaries and journalism. I've read quite a few of them, but I didn't have a good feel for the match until I read this. Thanks, as always, Joe.
I know it seems crazy but Zverev or Casper Ruud could win this thing. Just want to have this here for posterity. :)
Cilic!!
great perspective, Joe. Thanks. This is about more than tennis. And it's all about tennis. At the same time.
An amazing match and an amazing recap...thanks Joe.