Paris 2024 men's draw: Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal dream match-up on cards as Carlos Alcaraz gets cushy draw
07/25/2024 06:22 AM
The 2024 Olympic Games has left tennis fans salivating as all-time greats Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal could meet in the second round on the clay at Roland Garros.
Following world No 1 Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the Paris Games, 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic was awarded the top seed status and he will face Matthew Ebden from Australia in the first round.
Nadal, meanwhile, will take on Marton Fucsovics in his opener and if the two legends win their matches they will square off in the round of 32 in what will be their first meeting in two years.
If the blockbuster encounter does become a reality, then it will be their 60th clash in top-level tennis with Djokovic currently leading the head-to-head 30-29. Nadal, though, won their last encounter as he defeated Djokovic in four sets in the quarter-final of the 2022 French Open.
With the 2024 Olympics taking place at Roland Garros, it also gives King of Clay Nadal an edge as he has won eight of their 10 encounters in Paris.
However, Nadal has played very little tennis this year, losing in the first round of the French Open before finishing runner-up to Nuno Borges at the Swedish Open last week.
Djokovic, meanwhile, withdrew from his French Open quarter-final clash against Casper Ruud due to a knee injury and then underwent surgery before finishing runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.
The Djokovic-Nadal section also includes eighth seed Stefanos Tsitispas with the Greek a projected quarter-final opponent along with 14th seed Arthur Fils while third seed Alexander Zverev or eighth seed Taylor Fritz could await in the semi-final.
Great Britain’s Jack Draper is also in the top half of the draw and he has tricky draw as he faces Kei Nishikori from Japan in the first round before a possible match against Fritz.
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Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz headlines the bottom half of the draw and he kicks off his campaign against Hady Habib from Lebanon while he will meet either Tallon Griekspoor or Cameron Norrie in the second round if he passes the first test.
American Tommy Paul or Alex de Minaur from Australia is the projected quarter-final opponents while Daniil Medvedev – who is competing under a neutral banner – or Casper Ruud could await in the semi-final.
If the seedings hold then Alcaraz will meet Djokovic in the final.
World No 3 Alcaraz no doubt has an easier draw than Djokovic as the Serbian has Nadal, Tsitsipas, Zverev and Fritz in his path.
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