By Christopher Lancette
MONTREAL – When No. 41-ranked Ivan Dodig smacked a backhand cross-court winner to close out a stunning 1-6, 7-6, 7-6 upset of No. 2 Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Cup on Wednesday, it wasn’t clear who was in the most shock – the crowd, Nadal or Dodig himself.
“I don’t know what to say,” he said after the three-hour match. “This is the best moment of my life.”
What he did manage to pull off was something the previous person playing a former world No. 1 on the same court could not. Canadian Vasek Pospisil started well against Roger Federer, made a bad shot that opened the floodgates to many more, and self-destructed.
How did Dodig, whose biggest win prior to tonight came against then No. 23 Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Australian Open in 2010, not crumble under the pressure of playing Nadal?
“Yeah, I mean, the beginning was very good from his side,” Dodig said. “I started a little bit, let’s say with some respect. Of course, I was playing with Nadal. But I keep fighting. I keep fighting [in the] second set even when I was down 3‑1. I think I relaxed more and my serve start to work. Especially after I broke him first time, I was getting more points with my serve. I was getting also like more relaxed during the rallies. I was going more for the shots … was working quite good today, especially in the important points. I was going for the shots. I would say I was also a little bit more lucky today.”
Humility aside, he outplayed Nadal in the second and third sets using a combination of sonic serves including 11 third-set aces, gutsy winners and, most remarkably, calm nerves on critical points. He saved 55 percent of Nadal’s break point chances, while winning three out of four break points opportunities of his own.
“I was working a lot with my coach, especially on the mental part,” Dodig said of his training this year. “I was losing a lot of matches probably thinking a lot. Today we said, for example, if I get some chance, some small chance, I have to be aggressive, I have to try to make point myself, otherwise I cannot beat a guy like Rafa waiting to him to make mistake.
“On match point, I think I did it. I make like a winner. I think that was the key of this match. I know it’s very tough when you play these guys to be aggressive. Sometimes they [don’t] allow you. But today I had some chances and I think I use it. I finish match by myself. I didn’t wait for his mistakes.”
Nadal concurred with the analysis.
“He played very well, very aggressive,” Nadal said, the look of disbelief still on his face in the press room after the match: He won 52 percent of the overall points in the match and still lost. “He didn’t feel the pressure in the important moments. And at the end of the match, probably I was a little bit unlucky today, no?
“I felt I played enough well to win that match. But that’s tennis. The only thing I can do is congratulate the opponent and keep working for Cincinnati.”
Nadal looked like he was in control even at the start of the second set. Dodig then broke Nadal and remained on the offensive through the night.
That was Dodig’s view of the turning point as well.
“I think [the] second set, he was 3‑1 up, actually 3‑2 when I broke him back. I think I start to play better,” he said. “Actually, I start to also serve much better. I get more loose and I hit some good shots which help me to relax.”
With nerves like he displayed tonight, he might be staying in a lot more matches this summer.
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Photo credit © Won-ok Kim
