Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to continue titanic rivalry in Olympic clay clash in Paris (2024)

The fans' first standing ovation for Rafael Nadal occurred when he wasn't even in their presence, merely an image shown on a video screen as he waited in a stadium hallway to walk out on the court used for the Paris Olympics and the French Open, a tournament he made his domain.

They stayed on their feet, some applauding, some raising their phones to capture images of the moment when he emerged and stepped on the red clay so familiar to him.

Chants of "Ra-fa! Ra-fa!" rang out at various times, and plenty of red-and-yellow Spanish flags flapped in the stands, as Nadal beat Marton Fucsovics of Hungary 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round on Sunday to set up a blockbuster showdown against rival Novak Djokovic at the Summer Games.

"It's been always super special to play against Novak, no? No doubt about that. But the difference is normally we have been playing for finals or for semifinals. This," the 38-year-old Nadal said with a chuckle, "is a second round".

Monday afternoon's match, scheduled to be the second of the day in Court Philippe Chatrier, will be the 60th meeting between this pair of greats, more than any other two men have played against each other in the sport's Open era, which began in 1968.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to continue titanic rivalry in Olympic clay clash in Paris (1)

Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia, leads the head-to-head series 30-29, and his 24 grand slam titles make him the only man in tennis history with more than Nadal's 22.

Djokovic had knee surgery in June after tearing his meniscus during the French Open in early June but recovered quickly — and well — enough to reach the Wimbledon final two weeks ago before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal, meanwhile, has dealt with a series of injuries the past two seasons, including hip surgery in 2023, and his right thigh was taped on Sunday. He needed a finger on his right hand treated by a trainer in the third set against Fucsovics.

"Every single match that I played against Novak — almost every single match — I arrived with a different situation [than] I am [in] today. So that makes the match more difficult for me. And more unpredictable," Nadal said. "But I always have hope, I always believe, and I'm going to give my best."

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to continue titanic rivalry in Olympic clay clash in Paris (2)

Nadal made a last-minute decision to remain in the singles bracket, a day after he won in doubles with partner Alcaraz and said he wasn't sure if he would participate in both events.

Not only did Nadal play on Sunday but for stretches, particularly in the early going and in crunch time down the stretch, he played very much like a version of himself everyone is used to seeing: the sprinting, sliding, grunting star who owns 22 grand slam trophies in all and won Olympic gold medals for Spain in singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016.

And the crowd loved it.

"His fighting spirit is at the top, still," Fucsovics said.

"He is not at his best level [of] playing. But if he has a good day, he can beat anybody."

There was no way to know at the outset, of course, whether this might be Nadal's last singles match at these Olympics — or in this stadium that has meant so much to his career (and vice versa) — or, indeed, anywhere.

He's been rather coy lately on the subject of his retirement, even after saying in 2023 that he figured 2024 would be it for him.

"Of course, I know that maybe it's the last time that I play here. Maybe not," Nadal said with a shrug. "I can't confirm that because I don't know."

After going through a morning practice session to test his fitness, he made the call to play, about 18.5 hours after Nadal and Alcaraz — Spain's old-and-new pairing of tennis superstars — won the first match they've ever played together as a doubles team.

When Nadal and Fucsovics began warming up under a blue sky with a hint of a breeze, there were shouts of "Ole!" Spectators rose from their seats when Nadal jumped out to a 3-0 lead after just 13 minutes en route to taking the first set against an overmatched Fucsovics, a 32-year-old who is ranked 83rd.

Nadal said he felt loved by the fans.

And he did not look like someone ready to be done, not at all, particularly at the beginning of the match.

In the second game, Nadal sprinted, then slid, to deliver a stinging cross-court backhand that won a point and elicited some gasps from the audience.

That, truly, is what it felt like: an audience fascinated with viewing, and appreciating, a performance by someone whose oeuvre is so well-known: The chase-every-ball relentlessness. The bullwhip of a lefty forehand with an over-his-head finishing pose. The grunts of exertion that punctuate so many racket swings.

Fucsovic's career resume is no match for Nadal's, naturally. Fucsovic has reached one grand slam quarterfinal, at Wimbledon in 2021, and exited in the first round of each major tournament so far this season.

Nadal, actually, is without a slam match win in 2024, too.

He missed the Australian Open in January because of a hurt hip muscle near where his operation was, bowed out in the first round of the French Open in May against eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev, then sat out Wimbledon in July because he wanted to avoid needing to prepare to play on the grass courts there before switching back to clay for the Olympics.

After Nadal raced through the opening set, things slowed down a bit for him. Suddenly, it was Fucsovics who was dictating baseline exchanges, especially with his own booming forehand.

Eventually, to no-one's surprise, the muscle memory kicked in for Nadal. Soon enough, he was smacking one last forehand winner, then raising both arms with fists clenched.

Now comes a tougher task against Djokovic, one that is sure to draw a tonne of attention.

"It was a good test," Nadal said about getting past Fucsovics across 2.5 hours. "And the good thing is, I was able to play at a good level of tennis for a while. That always gives hope."

  • Rafael Nadal's clash with Novak Djokovic is scheduled as the second match played on Court Philippe-Chatrier tonight, meaning it won't start before 9:30PM Monday AEST.

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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to continue titanic rivalry in Olympic clay clash in Paris (2024)

FAQs

Do Nadal and Djokovic get along? ›

"No, there is no brotherhood. We are rivals and colleagues. In our situation, it has always been difficult to be close to each other because at this level, you can give a lot of information that might turn against you on the court.

Who has beaten Nadal the most? ›

To date, Djokovic is the only player to have beaten Nadal in all four majors. He also leads their five-set match record, at 2–1. Their Olympic Games head to head is 1–1 after their 60th match at the 2024 Olympics in Paris .

Who is better, Nadal or Djokovic? ›

Olympics tennis analysis: Djokovic shows Nadal no mercy

It takes Djokovic's head-to-head against Nadal to 31-29, and extends his quest for an Olympic gold medal, the one major honour in tennis that still eludes him.

Where can I watch the Olympic tennis 2024? ›

You can watch every single Olympic sport and event this summer on Peacock, including this afternoon's men's doubles tennis match.

How many times has Djokovic beaten Nadal on Clay? ›

Eric Francis Landar or overall non-clay record: Of their 59 meetings, 27 matches have been on hard courts with Djokovic leading 20–7, 28 on clay with Nadal leading 20–8, and 4 on grass where they are tied 2–2.

Has Nadal ever been No 1? ›

Nadal has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 209 weeks, and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

Who has the best record against Djokovic? ›

1 Andy Roddick won five of his nine matches against the Serbian.

Is Nadal the greatest of all time? ›

Eurosport expert Mats Wilander believes Rafael Nadal is not only one of the game's all-time greats but he also described the Spaniard as “maybe the most important tennis player of all time". Nadal was part of one of the most heralded eras of any sport as he, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic took tennis to new heights.

Who has won more titles Djokovic or Nadal? ›

Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia, leads the head-to-head series 30-29, and his 24 Grand Slam titles make him the only man in tennis history with more than Nadal's 22.

How much does it cost to watch the Olympics 2024? ›

Do you want to stream the Olympics at the lowest cost? Then you'll want to grab a subscription to Peacock, starting at $8 per month (or $80 per year). The NBC-affiliated streamer will offer access to every Olympic event, so you won't miss a moment of the action.

What channel is Nadal v Djokovic on? ›

You can tune in to watch every single minute of every event – including Djokovic v Nadal – live on discovery+ throughout the Olympic Games 2024 in the UK.

Will 2024 Olympics tennis be on clay? ›

Some of the biggest names in men's tennis will participate at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the competition set for the historic clay surface at Roland-Garros, home of the French Open.

Which channel to watch tennis Olympics? ›

CNBC, USA Network and E! will carry a tape-delay of Coco Gauff's matches throughout the 2024 Summer Olympics, with some medal rounds airing on NBC. Peacock will livestream every event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, including every tennis event.

How to watch the Rafael match? ›

How to watch Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Olympics. The match can be streamed on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app, which is available on Google's Google Play Store and Apple's App Store.

Who is broadcasting the 2024 Summer Olympics? ›

But it will be utilizing a number of NBCUniversal channels to air the widest spectrum of events, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC and the Golf Channel. Telemundo and Universo will provide Spanish-language coverage. The Games will also be carried on the Peacock streaming network, which will carry every event.

How can I watch ATP and WTA tennis? ›

Coverage of international ATP Tour and WTA Tour events is available by subscribing directly to beIN Sports. Comprehensive coverage of ATP Tour events is available through a premium Tennis TV subscription. Comprehensive coverage of WTA Tour events is available through a WTA TV subscription.

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