By Chris Oddo | Monday, June 2, 2014

 

Nadal? Djokovic? After a week of chaos and statements, the real fun is about to begin in Paris in week two.

Photo Credit: Peter Staples

For a brief moment on Sunday, it became remarkably clear that the 2014 French Open was Novak Djokovic’s to win. The Serb had just clinically deconstructed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in such formidable fashion that it was hard to see it any other way. Just a day after Rafael Nadal had opened up in press, telling reporters that his back had been bothering him since the beginning of the tournament, Djokovic’s authoritative white-washing of Tsonga was reminiscent of his most dominant days.

Video: Nadal Opens Up to Reporters about Back Woes at Roland Garros

Suddenly I had this vision of Djokovic in all his flawless 2011-esque glory, making mince-meat of every opponent with his robotic consistency and his tactical awareness and patience, so unstoppable in every way, from every wing and in every situation.

It was clear, I thought, that Djokovic is now—finally!—ready to summon every ounce of clarity, poise and focus that he possesses to become the eighth man in the history of tennis to own the career Grand Slam. It’s his time.

Less than 24 hours later, after Nadal (bad back and all) ripped out the proverbial heart and lungs of Dusan Lajovic in such convincing fashion as to send shudders down my spine, I am less convinced of Djokovic’s ascent to the clay-court throne.

Okay, let me start over. This is Rafael Nadal’s Roland Garros to win. The Spaniard has lost 23 games in four matches, and he’s inched his tachometer closer and closer to red-line status with each passing match this spring. It has been a slow progression rather than a rapid march, but the fact remains: NADAL IS GETTING THERE.

Suddenly, in a moment of reflection, it all became clear to me: In reality, the head-scratching losses this spring have all been part of Nadal’s plan. (Well, he didn’t plan to lose, that was up to god, but aren’t god and Nadal the same when it comes to clay-court tennis?)

Like a good soldier, Nadal has been harboring all the bitter lessons, all the doubt and all the yearning that has resulted from them, and together with his Uncle Toni they have been gathering up the remnants and pooling them all together into a tightly wound ball of desire that will eventually be titrated down to a pill that the Spaniard will then swallow just before he releases his swashbuckling fury on everything and everybody in his path during the second week of the French Open.

Is this not painfully obvious to everyone?

Oh, and by the way, that snub from the FFT where they put Rafa on Lenglen in his opener? Uncle Toni pleaded for that, and then pleaded some more to ensure that his little secret would not be told to Rafa. Then Toni had a conversation with his nephew behind closed doors where he said inflammatory things about those French “haters” and urged Rafa to swallow his pride and say the right things while at the same time NEVER FORGETTING THE INJUSTICE OF IT!

And so, you see, after Nadal’s impressive thrashing of Dusan Lajovic, it’s clear that the Spaniard is close to reaching the culmination of a months-long test of his mettle. The twisted plan to dominate and wreak havoc on all usurpers is in place.

The 2014 French Open is a test that Nadal yearns to pass with flying colors, and it’s the reason that he has lovingly embraced each and every setback he has faced in 2014. He has suffered for the cause, and all the while kept his eyes maniacally fixed on the prize, the holy grail, the defense of a kingdom that he has created with the lather of his perspiration. That little ball of desire is getting wound as we speak, and Nadal is getting ready to unleash a fury the likes of which the world has never seen so that he can peak at the right time and prove to world once again that he is immortal on the terre battue.

But wait, a thought just occurred to me. Nadal’s best-laid plans, however well-designed, have not accounted for one thing: That Djokovic, shut out of the castle for so long at Roland Garros, may be the keeper of his own flaming ball of desire. Maybe he, like Nadal, is on a vision quest so pure, that he is about to smash to pieces all the preconceived notions about how great he truly is? Maybe the man we all thought was headed for double-digit Slams this time last year has yet to achieve his finest moment on a tennis court? Maybe his desire, no doubt fueled by his inability to beat Nadal at the one place that means the most among dirtball afficionados, is actually of a more combustible and dangerous quality than Nadal’s?

Aw, shucks, I don’t know anymore. So many questions, so little time. Nadal? Djokovic? Djokovic? Nadal?

Who is the favorite and what does it matter?

Ask me again after the quarterfinals…