Rafael Nadal admitted he needs to overcome a mental block against new Wimbledon champion and world No. 1 Novak Djovokic as he reflected on his first defeat at the All England Club since 2007's final, Sky Sports reported Monday.
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The Serb appears to have a hold over Nadal, with Sunday's 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 victory on Centre Court, following final victories over the Spaniard at Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome.
Djokovic's Wimbledon win brought his record to 48-1 in a phenomenal season so far, that also saw him collect the Australian Open and six ATP World Tour titles.
The run has seen him replace Nadal at the top of the world rankings and the Spaniard accepted his rival has got inside his mind to claim an edge in the big points in all their recent matches.
"When I was 100 percent to play, I lost against him five times," said Nadal. "The rest of the year I won almost every match. So I'm doing things very well, but probably not against him. That's what I have to change.
"Probably the mental part is a little bit dangerous for me," he added. "Because when I was at 5-4 [in the first set], I played a bad game from 30-0. When I was 4-3 down in the fourth set, I played another bad game with my serve. To win these kind of matches, I have to play well [at those moments]. These kind of points can change the match."
Nadal bemoaned another missed opportunity after reducing the set score to 2-1.
"When I had the break point in the first game of the fourth set, I didn't play that point well," he said. "That was a big moment for me. Because I came back with the 6-1, if I start the fourth with a break it can change everything. To change things I probably have to be a little bit less nervous, play more aggressive, and all the time be confident with myself. That's what I'm going to try next time. If not, I'm going to be here explaining the sixth."
Courtesy: Fox Sports
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