The highly anticipated second-round clash between tennis titans Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympic Tennis Event has become a reality after both players secured first-round victories.
Djokovic, the world’s top-ranked player, made light work of Australia’s Matthew Ebden, dispatching him in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 in just 53 minutes. Nadal, on the other hand, faced a tougher challenge against former Wimbledon quarterfinalist Marton Fucovics of Hungary. The Spaniard dropped the second set but rallied to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
This will be the 60th meeting between the two legends, with Djokovic holding a narrow 30-29 advantage in the head-to-head. Their last encounter was in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros in 2022, where Nadal emerged victorious in four sets.
The pair’s only previous Olympic meeting came in the semifinals of the 2008 Beijing Games, where Nadal triumphed in three sets. He went on to win his first Olympic gold medal in singles.
The upcoming match-up promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with both players eager to add another Olympic medal to their illustrious careers. Nadal will be aiming to defend his gold medal from Rio 2016, while Djokovic will be seeking his first Olympic singles title.
The winner of this second-round clash will face either Karen Khachanov of Russia or Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia in the quarterfinals.
