Djokovic & Nadal Will Meet in 2nd Round of Olympics

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will face off in the Olympics.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will face in the Olympics. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

As soon as the draw for the Olympics men's singles tennis tournament was announced, fans quickly circled one potential matchup. If Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both won in the first round, they would meet in the second round.

As luck would have it, they both handled their business in the first round. On Saturday, Djokovic easily defeated Matthew Ebden in two sets: 6-0, 6-1. On Sunday, Nadal beat Marton Fucsovics in three sets: 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

The two longtime rivals will get their "last dance" in Paris, as Djokovic described it. However, Nadal quickly brushed off the idea that his career was that close to being over.

But Nadal did take exception with the hectic scheduling of the Olympics. Rainy weather wreaked havoc on the clay courts at Roland Garros, causing many matches to be rescheduled or delayed.

"Nadal is always my biggest rival"

❤️‍🔥 @DjokerNole #Paris2024 #tennis pic.twitter.com/tnEX1nvt87

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 28, 2024

Following his doubles win with Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday night, Nadal questioned whether he would be ready to play early on Sunday afternoon. He called the schedule "outrageous."

Despite all the drama, Nadal played and won. Now, he gets a chance to defeat the greatest tennis player of all time and a longtime rival.

Djokovic and Nadal have faced each other 59 times, including in all four Grand Slam finals, with Djokovic leading 30–29 overall. Djokovic leads 15–13 in finals of all levels, while Nadal leads 11–7 at the majors, including 5–4 in major finals. Also, Nadal has a 20-8 record against Djokovic on clay.

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Further Reading: Paula Badosa defended her relationship with Stefanos Tsitsipas in an interview.