Novak Djokovic too strong for Nadal, Pidcock earns stunning gold at Paris Olympics 2024

Serbian runs out 6-1, 6-4 winner at Roland Garros while British mountain biker retains title in thrilling fashion

Novak Djokovic, right, is congratulated by Rafael Nadal after winning their second-round match 6-1, 6-4 on Day 3 of the Paris Olympic Games at Roland Garros on July 29, 2024. Getty Images

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Rafael Nadal of Spain. Getty Images

Rafael Nadal acknowledges the crowd at the stadium where he has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles. Getty Images

A frustrated Rafael Nadal during his defeat against Novak Djokovic which was only the Spaniard's fifth defeat in 118 singles matches at Roland Garros. Reuters

Serbia's Novak Djokovic is looking to win his first Olympic gold medal. AFP

Spain's Rafael Nadal plays a shot during the 60th match of his career against Novak Djokovic. AFP

Serbia's Novak Djokovic tries to keep cool during the match. AFP

Spain's Rafael Nadal grimaces during his straight-sets defeat. EPA

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates a point. EPA

Rafael Nadal stretches for a forehand against Novak Djokovic. Getty Images

Novak Djokovic on his way to the 31st win of his career over Rafael Nadal. Getty Images

Rafael Nadal's first ever match against Novak Djokovic took place on the same Roland Garros clay courts in 2006. AFP

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The 60th – and potentially final – clash between tennis giants Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal turned out to be a more one-sided affair than many would have hoped for at the Paris Olympics on Monday.

The Serbian came out on top 6-1, 6-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros, where Nadal has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles.

But Nadal, 38, had warned before the match that his old rival was “the clear favourite” due to the Spaniard's injury problems over the past two years, which have limited his time on court.

And so it transpired as 24-time Slam winner Djokovic blew away his opponent in the first set and looked to be coasting in the second before Nadal belatedly sprang into action when he won four games in a row before eventually going down 6-1, 6-4.

It is only Nadal's fifth defeat in 118 singles matches at Roland Garros, with Djokovic now having been responsible for three of those.

Djokovic has not had the greatest year either, failing so far to win a tournament at any level and undergoing knee surgery following a slip during the French Open.

His right knee was still strapped up but he arrived in Paris having reached the Wimbledon final – where he was beaten by Nadal's doubles partner in Paris, Carlos Alcaraz – and chasing the one major prize still missing from his vast collection.

“I'm very relieved,” said the 37-year-old top seed. “Everything was going my way, I was 6-1, 4-0 up but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances.”

He added: “I never thought back in 2006 that we'd still be playing each other almost 20 years later.”

Meanwhile, Britain's Tom Pidcock recovered from a puncture to secure a second consecutive Olympic mountain bike gold after a dramatic battle with Victor Koretzky at Elancourt Hill.

Pidcock's hopes of retaining his title suffered a nightmare blow when he got a flat front tyre on the fourth of eight laps, shortly after he had taken control of the 35km race.

“You are all used to things going well so even my mechanic wasn't ready for it,” said the Briton. “He did a super fast change in the end, my bike was perfect apart from my mistake of puncturing.”

It meant Pidcock had fallen 40 seconds behind Koretzky, but he fought his way back to reclaim the lead with a lap and a half to go.

There was plenty of drama still to come, though, as the pair traded blows in the last couple of kilometres – dramatically touching wheels at one point, which would result in jeers from the French crowd afterwards – before Pidcock burst forward to take the win just 16 days since pulling out of the Tour de France after testing positive for Covid-19.

“I knew that Victor was going to be fast in the last lap even if I couldn't get rid of him,” added Pidcock. “I knew it was going to be a big fight, and he left a gap and I had to take it.

“That's racing. I know people might view it differently but sport is about not giving up. It is a shame that the French were booing me.”

Over at the new Olympic Aquatics Centre, China continued their dominance in the diving as Lian Junjie and Yang Hao breezed to victory in the synchronised 10-metre platform.

The three-time reigning world champions finished with a whopping 490.35 points, receiving several perfect 10s from the judges and no marks lower than 8.0 to seal China's second gold in Paris.

“Obviously, China dived absolutely incredibly today. They showed incredible form,” said Tom Daley, the five-time British Olympian who won gold in this event at Tokyo but settled for a silver this time around. “Every single one of their dives was flawless.”

China, which has dominated the sport in the post-Greg Louganis era, is trying to become the first country to claim every diving gold medal since synchro was added in 2000, doubling the programme from four to eight events.