'After losing second set vs. Novak Djokovic, I thought...', says ATP star

Pablo Carreno Busta embellished an excellent week with a well deserved bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The Spanish tennis player, very disappointed after the semi-final lost to Karen Khachanov, resisted Novak Djokovic’s comeback attempt by winning the 'final' after two hours and 49 minutes of battle. This is the first ever medal for tennis Spain in this edition of the Games. Also taking advantage of a really exhausted Nole, the Iberian seemed on the point of closing already in the tiebreak of the second set, in which he had a match point at his disposal. The number 1 in the world pulled out his claws extending the contest to the third, but there the greatest freshness of Carreno came out. To the microphones of the Spanish press, Pablo called the one against Djokovic the greatest success of his career so far. The number 6 of the seeding also thanked his compatriots for having raised him after the bad performance in the semifinals. The Gijon player had taken away the satisfaction of eliminating ATP number 2 Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals.

Carreno Busta on beating Novak Djokovic

"I think this my biggest achievement," Pablo Carreno Busta said. "It's incredible. After yesterday's loss I felt people's love & support and I had to give my all. I've been able to overcome losing the second set thanks to all the support. It's just bronze but I gave my all. Thanks!" Carreno Busta then reflected on the mid-match stumble, claiming that he thought he was dead meat after Novak Djokovic took the second set. The Spaniard added that it was "incredible" that he could hang tough in the situation and bring home an Olympic medal. "I'm in a cloud. After losing 2nd set I thought it was over," Carreno Busta said. "Winning over the World No. 1 is very tough. After losing second set I thought I'd not be able to do it. But I was! It's incredible. I came here for a medal, it's been tough but I've got it! For my girlfriend, my mother, Gijón, Spain." Nadal, who won the 2016 China Open doubles partnering Carreno Busta, uploaded an Instagram story congratulating his countryman. "Great Pablo!!! What a joy! Congratulations!" Rafael Nadal wrote. Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic continues to be one of the most fierce rivalries in tennis history. When they first met at the French Open in 2006, they shared merely 1 title between them; now, they have 20 Grand Slam titles each.

 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3rMlL9d