At the Philippe · Charrière Stadium in Roland · Garros, Nadal, the Spain "King of Clay", won the first round of men's tennis at the Paris Olympics on the 28th, and he will stage a much-anticipated matchup with his old rival Djokovic in the next round.
Nadal, a 14-time French Open men's singles champion, defeated Hungary's Fočović 6:1, 4:6, 6:4 on the same day.
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates during a match on July 28. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
15 square meters, 30 square meters, 40 square meters...... In the final game of the final set, the score of the two was tight. In the end, Nadal closed the match with a forehand winner. The packed crowd erupted in loud cheers, with high-fives, arms and hugs in celebration of the 38-year-old.
Nadal has suffered from repeated injuries in recent years, and his competitive form has dropped significantly. In 2023, he withdrew from the French Open due to injury; In 2024, he stopped in the first round of the French Open. Until the eve of the tennis event at the Paris Olympics, there was still a lot of speculation about Nadal's retirement.
Spain's Rafael Nadal in the match on July 28. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Speaking after the day's match, Nadal admitted: "It's not easy to give my best in my physical condition right now, but if there's one place where I have to give my best, it's here (Roland · Garros)...... I know this could be the last time I'll race here, but maybe not, I can't confirm, I don't know. ”
According to the draw, Djokovic will meet Nadal in the second round of men's singles on the 29th. According to the Men's Professional Tennis Players Association (ATP), this will be the 60th meeting between the two. In the previous 59 meetings, Nadal won 29 and Djokovic 30.
"There's no doubt that the fight against Novak [Djokovic] has always been something very special. But the difference is that we usually play each other in the finals or semi-finals, and this time in the second round. Of course, it's the Olympics and every game is very special. I've played against him in every game I've played against where I am now, so it's probably more difficult for me to play now. But I was hopeful, I believed in myself, and I wanted to do my best. ”
On July 27, Djokovic returned the ball during the match. On the same day, in the first round of the men's singles tennis at the Paris Olympics, Serbia's Djokovic defeated Australia's Ibden 2-0 to advance to the next round. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Djokovic said earlier: "For me, playing him [Nadal] is like a final. I know what he's achieved and what he's done for our sport. Especially at Roland · Garros, his record (14 wins) speaks for itself. So I'm looking forward to this game. If we do face each other, it could be our last big showdown. So I'm sure people will enjoy this game. I'm looking forward to it and I'm ready for this fight. ”
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Process Editor: U032