PARIS — Rafael Nadal made people believe here Monday, not because of how he played, but because he is Rafa, and he was on the clay at Roland Garros, and there has never been a finer marriage of man and material. If this 6–1, 6–4 loss to Novak Djokovic was the final Olympics singles match of Nadal’s career, as many have speculated, then he went out the only way he could: not at his best, but with his best. It is the only way he has ever played.
The first set was a relentless reminder of why Djokovic remains a threat to win Grand Slams and why Nadal has likely won his last. Djokovic covered the whole court; Nadal had one mishit after another. Afterward, when Nadal was asked about the difference in the match, he said “Everything.” So yes: Nadal struggled. But it was not, from this vantage point, depressing to watch, because Nadal has always struggled. This is part of his allure.
