Ben Pawlowski
RAFAEL Nadal will face off against old foe Novak Djokovic in a mouth-watering second round clash in the Paris 2024 Olympics men’s singles this afternoon.
The great old rivals will play their 60th competitive game against each other after 1.30pm CET on Monday – Djokovic currently narrowly leads the head-to-head with 30 wins to the Spaniard’s 29, although Nadal will hold court advantage as he seeks to get back on level terms.
The two will play at Roland Garros, a clay court that has played host to Nadal’s 14 French Open titles, in a match widely regarded as one ‘last dance’ for a pair acclaimed as two of the sport’s best ever players and who have won a combined 46 Grand Slam titles.
Nadal, now 38, had cast doubt on his participation thanks to a niggling thigh injury.
But the 2008 gold medalist secured his passage to Monday’s second round tie after beating Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, much to the delight of the French crowd.
Serbia’s Djokovic, 37, advanced to the second round thanks to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Matt Ebden.
Elsewhere, Spain’s highly-anticipated duo of Nadal and 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz won their men’s doubles first round against the Argentine sixth seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 7-6, 6-4.
Lauded as the former and current kings of clay, ‘Nadalcaraz’ combined deftly with Nadal leaning on his experience in doubles competition and Alcaraz playing with his trademark flair and deftness.
Nadal has had a busy Paris Olympics so far – he was chosen as one of the torch bearers during Friday’s rain-drenched Opening Ceremony.
