"An absolute tool, explains why he's employed by who he is" - Fans recall Novak Djokovic's coach claiming Rafael Nadal had 'no chance' at French Open

At the 2020 French Open, Novak Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic made a bold proclamation that Rafael Nadal had "no chance" of defeating the Serb.

Ivanisevic's comments came right after Nadal and Djokovic advanced to the semifinals of the claycourt Major in 2020, setting the stage for a potential blockbuster title clash in Paris. The Spaniard was set to square off against Diego Schwartzman, while the Serb took on Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final.

Ahead of their respective semifinal clashes, Goran Ivanisevic backed Nadal and Djokovic to reach the final. However, he added that the Spaniard, who had won 12 French Open titles at the time, would have "no chance" against the Serb since the latter had a psychological edge over his rival.

"I’m counting on Novak – Nadal in the final, in which, in my opinion, Nadal has no chance in these conditions, on this clay and with Novak, who has got into his head," he said.

While Ivanisevic accurately predicted that the duo would reach the final, he erred in saying that Nadal had no chance against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

Contrary to his claim, the Spaniard clinched the opening set in dominant fashion, winning 6-0. He went on to register a straight-set victory, triumphing 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to secure a record-extending 13th French Open title.

Goran Ivanisevic's comments recently resurfaced on social media, drawing strong backlash from fans for his underestimation of Rafael Nadal's prowess.

"I had never seen the full quote until now, I knew he said something along the lines of Djokovic being favourite, but I wasn't aware he actually said Nadal had "no chance". On clay, and on Chartrier???? An absolute tool. Explains why he's employed by who he's coaching," a fan commented.

"I don’t care who you are or what your credentials are. If you say Rafael Nadal in a Roland-Garros Final isn’t the favorite, you’re on some next-level stupidity," another fan chimed in.

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Meanwhile, one fan humorously suggested that the scoreline indicated that Nadal had taken a personal offense to Ivanisevic's remarks.

"Nadal: and I took that personally," the fan posted.

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Here are a few more reactions from fans on Reddit:

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

Comment byu/godsobedientslave from discussion intennis

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Novak Djokovic on French Open 2024: "If Rafael Nadal is playing, he's always a favorite there"

Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Australian Open

Following his Australian Open semifinal exit, Novak Djokovic was asked for his thoughts on the next Grand Slam event, the French Open. The Serb said that it's premature to pick favorites, and that a lot would depend on how the players fared during the clay season.

"That's really far away. Let's see how, you know, how the players play in the next several months, particularly on the clay, in the clay season. It's completely different surface, conditions.

"Some players are probably more favorites than others on clay just because it's kind of a surface that suits certain type of tennis players," Djokovic said in his post-match press conference.

Nevertheless, the Serb emphasized that if Rafael Nadal competes, he will be the clear frontrunner for the title. He also named Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as potential contenders.

"But, of course, you know, if Nadal is playing, he's always a favorite there, No. 1, no doubt. Regardless of the fact that he hasn't played much, but he is who he is in Roland Garros," he said.

"Of course (Carlos) Alcaraz, Sinner. Anybody that is on the top, you know. I think rankings-wise you can take the first five, ten players in the world, and everyone is a favorite to win. It still takes several months, so let's see how everything evolves," he added.

Novak Djokovic will be the defending champion at this year's French Open, having beaten Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 in last year's final to clinch his third title in Paris.