Paris: This French Open is the first Grand Slam tournament in a year with both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the field. And anyone who enjoys men’s tennis – or sports for that matter – should be thrilled that those two titans of the game will face each other for a record 59th time. However, for a change it is not the final of any Grand Slam. In fact Rafael Nadal and Djokovic will be meeting in the quarterfinals of the French Open.
But then will that factor dissuade anyone from watching from afar or dull the atmosphere that’ll envelop Court Philippe Chatrier? Doubtful.
Could it decrease the intensity of each player’s performance? Not a chance. “I’m ready for it,” Djokovic said Sunday. “I hope to be able to give myself a chance to play at the highest level possible,” Nadal said. “And then let’s see,” the Spaniard added.
So then the question that Nadal will have on his mind – and we know so because he said so – and Djokovic might, too, is: How many more of these showdowns are there going to be?
First of all, Nadal turns 36 Friday. Djokovic turned 35 May 22, the first day of the French Open. “I don’t know what can happen in the near future with my career,” Nadal said.
Nadal’s body has been a big issue over the past 12 months. He missed the last half of last season, including Wimbledon and the US Open, because of chronic pain in his left foot that flared up again in recent weeks. After his 20-0 start to 2022, he missed three tournaments because of a rib injury.
“I can’t complain much,” Nadal said. He pointed out that 2 1/2 weeks ago he had no idea whether he’d make it this far. “Being honest, every match that I play here, I don’t know if it’s going to be my last match here in Roland Garros. That’s my situation now,” he said after edging 21-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets Sunday night. “That’s why I am just trying to enjoy as much as possible.”
As for Djokovic, his decision to not get vaccinated against Covid-19 prevented him from participating at the Australian Open. While he’s been assured that won’t be a problem at Wimbledon when it starts June 27, his status for the US Open is uncertain at the moment.
Whether statistics, aesthetics or any other measures is applied, both are among the greatest there’s ever been in tennis. About that there can be no debate.
Nadal owns a men’s-record 21 Grand Slam titles, a number he reached with a tie-breaking triumph at the Australian Open in January. Djokovic, like Roger Federer, is one behind. Djokovic has all sorts of other bona fides, including more weeks spent at No. 1 in the ATP rankings than anyone else, the only man with at least two trophies from every major tournament and the only one with at least two trophies from every Masters event. He also leads both Federer and Nadal head-to-head.
Djokovic and Nadal have played each other more frequently than any other pair of men in the half-century-plus of professional tennis. Djokovic leads 30-28 overall; Nadal leads 19-8 on clay, including 7-2 at Roland Garros. Nadal is 109-3 at the French Open, with a record 13 championships, and two of those three losses came against Djokovic, including in the semifinals a year ago.
“Playing him in Roland Garros is always a physical battle along with everything else,” Djokovic said Monday.
