Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal meet for the 56th time on Sunday in a Roland Garros ultimate blockbuster with historical past on the road for each males. World primary Djokovic is chasing an 18th Grand Slam title and a second French Open which might make him the primary man in half a century to win all 4 Slams twice. Defending champion Nadal, the world quantity two, can win a 13th Roland Garros and 20th main which might tie the all-time males’s report held by Roger Federer. Victory on Sunday would additionally give the 34-year-old Spaniard a 100th match win in Paris in opposition to simply two defeats in 15 years.
A type of losses got here in opposition to Djokovic within the 2015 quarter-finals, the final time the pair clashed on the crushed crimson brick floor of Court docket Philippe Chatrier.
The Serb has received 37 matches in 2020 along with his one defeat self-inflicted via his infamous default at the US Open.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who pushed Djokovic to 5 units in a breathless semi-final, sees few flaws within the high seed’s sport.
“He has reached nearly perfection,” mentioned the Greek.
The 22-year-old matched Djokovic when it got here to all-out assault on Friday night time however on the crunch moments, the Serbian wall stood agency because the world primary saved 11 of 15 break factors he confronted.
Djokovic, 33, has a 29-26 edge over Nadal of their long-running rivalry.
He has received 14 of their final 18 conferences and the final three on the Slams.
Nevertheless, the pair’s most up-to-date three matches on clay have all gone Nadal’s means with Djokovic’s final victory on the grime coming within the Rome quarter-finals 4 years in the past.
On the French Open, Nadal has a 6-1 benefit, together with wins within the 2012 and 2014 finals.
‘Not my greatest match’
“That is the home of Rafa,” mentioned Djokovic, describing going through the Spaniard on clay as the game’s “greatest problem”.
Nevertheless, he insists that he has performed way more important finals and pointed to his first win over Nadal at a Slam at Wimbledon in 2011.
“I do not assume that is the most important match that I’ve ever performed in my life,” he mentioned.
“By way of significance, most likely the primary Wimbledon ultimate that I truly performed in opposition to him.
“Wimbledon was all the time the one which I wished to win as a child and dreamed of profitable. That is most likely the one which stands out.”
Djokovic additionally put his 2016 Paris ultimate win over Andy Murray, which allowed him to rejoice a profession Grand Slam, above Sunday’s newest instalment of his Nadal rivalry.
“Each French Open ultimate that I performed was the match of my life earlier than I truly received it.”
Regardless of his excessive reward for his opponent, Djokovic sees a bonus for him with the event being performed within the autumn quite than its conventional spring and early summer time slot.
The climate is cooler, the situations heavier.
“The situations are totally different than those that we’re used to enjoying in Could and June,” mentioned Djokovic.
“I believe that might be a greater probability for me, clearly the ball shouldn’t be bouncing as excessive over the shoulder as he likes it normally.”
Nadal thrives within the warmth and vibrant sunshine and has been cautious of the chilliness and the damp all through the event, complaining that gamers are uncovered to risks in consequence.
His run to a 13th ultimate in Paris has been untroubled as he has but to drop a set.
Nevertheless, he has solely confronted one seed — Argentine quantity 12 Diego Schwartzman within the semi-finals.
His different 5 opponents had been all outdoors the highest 70; two had been ranked 213 and 236.
Nadal is cautious of studying an excessive amount of into his easy progress in Paris or his general 17-7 clay courtroom report over Djokovic.
“Totally different circumstances, totally different sort of event and totally different state of affairs,” mentioned Nadal forward of their ninth conflict in a Grand Slam ultimate.
“The one factor I do know is to play in opposition to Novak, I have to play my greatest. With out enjoying my greatest tennis, the state of affairs could be very tough.
“I do know that this can be a courtroom the place I’ve been enjoying properly for such a very long time, in order that helps.
“He is among the hardest opponents potential.”
Promoted
In the meantime, Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya informed AFP that they’ve a selected plan to take care of Djokovic.
“It’s a essential problem, it’s clear that he is among the greats in historical past. I do not know whether it is tougher than going through Federer in his prime at Wimbledon however we’ve a plan,” Moya informed AFP.
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