More than two years removed from their last showdown, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal appeared to be riding off into the sunset without another meeting between the two all-time greats.
But that has changed. Their will be a last dance. Or, who knows, maybe it won’t be the last one.
Whatever the case, there will be at least one more when Djokovic and Nadal collide in round two of the Paris Olympics on Monday afternoon. It will mark the…wait for it…60th encounter between two of tennis’ GOATs, and the head-to-head series literally could not be closer. Djokovic holds a 30-29 advantage, although Nadal inched closer by winning three of their last four tilts–all on clay.
They will once again be on the terre battue for this contest. Even though Nadal is presumably closer to the end of his career than Djokovic, the Spaniard can never be discounted on his Roland Garros stomping grounds. He is a 14-time French Open champion and his stay at these Olympic Games has been a good one so far. Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz kicked off their doubles campaign with a straight-set win over Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni before the 38-year-old started his singles bid by beating Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on Sunday.
Djokovic got a virtual bye in the opening round, trouncing doubles player Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1. The 37-year-old Serb has dealt with injuries of his own in 2024, but he reached the Wimbledon final shortly after suffering a torn medial meniscus at the French Open. Several more weeks of recovery should have Djokovic much closer to 100 percent.
That doesn’t mean it is all good news for the world No. 2, nor does it mean he is a lock to win this match. Even when healthy, Djokovic has simply been in poor form all season long. All the pressure is on him, too, as the heavy favorite and having never won singles gold (Nadal won it in 2008). The Nadal of old–even the Nadal of a year as recent as 2022–would almost certainly be able to take advantage of such vulnerability, especially on clay. Even this version of Nadal has a chance, but a current thigh issue on the heels of many other injuries is not ideal. A three-set singles match in round one with zero days off also doesn’t help.
Djokovic vs. Nadal 60 very well could be competitive, but a physical edge goes to the No. 1 seed.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
[yop_poll id=”1373″]
who ya got?
Djokovic is the number 1 seed in this tournament, since Sinner did not participate. It would be reasonable that a tennis journalist knows this basic fact.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Nadal pulled it off.
Comparing apples and oranges maybe, but who would have predicted Alcaraz beating Novak in straight sets in the Wimbledon final?
This year’s version of Novak looks a lot more inconsistent.
Vamos Rafa!!!…in straight!
If you want to win money, just bet against what you read here.
“…60th encounter between two of tennis’ GOATs…”?!
It can be only one GOAT and it’s not even arguable who is the one, the race for it has finished last year in Turin.
PS
You just have to work out who is the second best player ever, for me it’s Federer.
Just a theory, probably meant Rafa been clay GOAT, is why it said GOATs, no harm or foul, have a lovely day 😀
They all set unique records but Djoko the overall GOAT. Certainly Rafa the clay one, Roger the grass one .
What I love about the Olympics is the umbrella of different types of sports, and many all time greats, different sports I don’t usually get to see, rather than just been about one
Yes.I used to do bit of Judo, amazing to see two real experts going at it
The pole vaulting is just not possible! Jaw on floor. Love it!
Dancing horses, not so much, especially now.
I love judo
I’m so angry with Rafa, for tarnishing his legacy like this😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
You have to remember, Nadal has been playing at the top level since he was 14. It’s like a battery; when you work really hard fur years and years like he did, eventually it just runs out. After everything he has done, no one in their right mind should expect any more from him on a tennis court.
Djokovic played semi-defense for most of his career, so he has a bit more juice left in the tank but probably not enough to string them together like he used to.
Amazing and sad how quickly they go downhill.And you just know they never get it back again
Djokovic would’ve had nightmares about the shellacking he got a Wimbledon. No surprise he’s out to redeem himself.
He did amazing to reach the final and even to be playing in his condition.
👍