Paris Olympics: Rafael Nadal faces Novak Djokovic in blockbuster match

Nadal vs. Djokovic in Olympic showdown, Swiatek dominates, and Alcaraz faces Griekspoor in Tokyo heat.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic square off in an Olympic Games blockbuster on July 29, their first meeting in over two years, while Iga Swiatek stepped up her quest for gold by powering into the third round.

The latest chapter of a generation-defining rivalry, and perhaps the final act, will bring Nadal and Djokovic full circle — the duo having met as teenagers in their very first meeting in the 2006 Roland Garros quarterfinals.

This is the earliest stage of a tournament the pair have ever met, with Nadal far from the almost invincible player who dominated on clay for well over a decade.

The 38-year-old — who has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles at the French Open — believes old rival Djokovic will be favourite when they meet for the 60th time.

“Situations are completely different for him, for me. He’s being very competitive. I was not being very competitive for the last two years, so in that case, I think probably he is the clear favourite,” said Nadal, who holds an 8-2 head-to-head advantage over the Serb at Roland Garros.

“I’m going to try my best to bring the best to the court and then let’s see how far I can go and how many problems I can create for him.”

Djokovic, chasing a first Olympic gold to add to his 24 Grand Slams, expects the clash to deliver.