Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal, French Open 2022 Live: 59th matchup on the horizon in quarters-Sports News , Firstpost

Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal: Two of the Big 3 meet in the quarter-finals of the French Open. AP

Paris: Novak Djokovic renews his 16-year rivalry with Rafael Nadal at the French Open on Tuesday with a semi-final spot at stake and where victory for the world number one could end the 13-time champion’s Roland Garros career.

Nadal, who turns 36 on Friday, puts his record of 109 wins and just three losses in Paris since his title-winning debut in 2005 on the line against the defending champion.

The Spaniard was taken to five sets for only the third time at the tournament by 21-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round.

In the immediate aftermath of that victory, Nadal admitted that not only was this year’s French Open at stake but possibly his entire playing future.

Overall, Djokovic leads Nadal 30-28 since their first career meeting at the 2006 French Open.

Nadal has a 19-8 edge on clay and has won seven of the pair’s nine meetings in Paris.

Djokovic, however, came out on top in the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2021 on his way to a second title.

Djokovic has reached the last eight with ease. He has won 22 sets in a row, a run stretching back to his Italian Open triumph in Rome.

While Djokovic, Nadal, Alexander Zverev and slain Carlos Alcaraz battle in the top of the draw, the bottom section has been blown wide open by the fourth-round exits of second-ranked Daniil Medvedev and number four Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up.

As a result, one of Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev or 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic will make Sunday’s final.

(with inputs from AFP)

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