Nadal*played adequate tennis; he wasn't good by any stretch, but he wasn't bad. He simply ran into a fearless, 26-year-old playing a stretch of the best tennis of his life. (Dodig reached a career high of No. 37 in the rankings earlier this summer.) That's what happens when you play dozens of matches per year in tournaments that aren't always Grand Slams. Every now and then you have an off day and happen to find yourself across the court from a guy who's blistering forehands and popping chalk on the baseline. It's unavoidable.
And that's what makes Novak Djokovic's 49-1 start to the season so amazing. Sure, his five victories over Nadal and multiple wins over Roger Federer are the headliners of the streak alongside his two Grand Slams wins. The lesser victories are equally impressive. He hasn't slipped up in an early round match against a hungry opponent. On his off days (and he's had them), he's managed to fight through and win.
Rafael Nadal couldn't do that on Tuesday. It won't have much effect on his U.S. Open plans and isn't something that should be overanalyzed. Sure, it's his first losing streak since 2007 when he dropped two matches to start the season. Still, stuff like this happens every now and then. Just not to Novak Djokovic so far in 2011.