Rafael Nadal will face Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the Spaniard was quite clear about proclaiming his opponent as the favorite ahead of their 60th match.
The two will play their 60th match head-to-head played at the Olympic Games. Both of them were surprised to find out the draw, but both have also embraced the situation, calling it a special meeting, which could be even their 'last dance'.
Nobody will enjoy the match more than tennis fans, as we haven't seen the two play against each other since 2022, and funnily enough, that match also happened at Roland Garros.
The Spaniard won it fairly easily, but things are quite different in 2024. Nadal has been struggling to play consistent tennis because his body seemingly breaks down every time he plays for a longer period.
Djokovic has also been dealing with some physical problems, but he's in a far better physical state than Nadal. The Serbian has also been playing much better tennis overall, which is why the 38-year-old was quick to proclaim Djokovic the favorite.
In fairness, Djokovic is the huge favorite because, as Nadal pointed out in his talk with the media, the Serbian has been on a high level in the past two years, while he barely played.
That's a clear advantage for the 37-year-old, even if this match is played on the Roland Garros courts, where the 14-time champion had so much success in the past.
"Of course it’s beautiful to play against one of the two biggest rivals that I had in my career, especially on this court. But 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. 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."
Very few think that Nadal can really beat Djokovic, but most would argue that it could become an interesting match at certain times. The crowd in Paris will play a huge role.
It's not unimaginable to think that for a while, the Spaniard could really push Djokovic. Either way, it will be a very special match, even though fans will have their favorites as to who they want to win the match.
"Monday is another story, another kind of opponent. Of course we are in different situations in our careers. His moment and my moment. He’s coming from being in the final of a Grand Slam. I’m coming without being very competitive for the last three years. So let’s see. It’s in a special place."
Djokovic will be highly motivated because the gold medal is one of the rare titles he's never won in tennis. He wouldn't want to miss out on it once more, and beating his greatest rival along the way would make it even more special.