Rafael Nadal sets up Djokovic clash at Paris Olympics 2024
Spanish star Rafael Nadal decided to play in singles at the last minute at the Paris Olympics 2024 and won the first round match against Marton Fucsovics on Sunday and will now face Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Playing on his favorite red gravel of Roland Garros where he has a record 14 titles against his name, the 38 year old defeated Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
Nadal was greeted with a standing ovation by the spectators, many of whom captured the moment with their phone cameras when he arrived at Court Philippe Chatrier.
Earlier pair of Nadal and Alcaraz defeated Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 7-6, 6-4 in the first round of doubles on Saturday. And 18 and a half hours later, Nadal was again on the court to play singles in which there was no clarity about playing earlier.
Nadal who already has an Olympic gold in the 2008 edition will look to equal his head-to-head rivalry against the number 1 seed. Both players have met 59 times with Djokovic leading their rivalry 30-29. The players last met in the quarter finals of the French Open 2022 with the Spaniard winning in 4 sets.
