French Open 2022 – Who will win the quarter-final match between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal?

PARIS – Get started. Again.

59th part of Novak Djokovic–Rafael Nadal the competition took place at the French Open under the lights on Tuesday night – a quarter-final was predicted to be so hot that organizers ensured that the match would be broadcast for free, wall removed. usual fee.

No two men have played each other more times than world No 1 Djokovic and a record 21 Grand Slam champion Nadal, a competition that began in 2006 and has produced some great entertainment. most conceivable.

Nadal, who turned 36 on Friday, won their first meeting, at Roland-Garros in 2006, when Djokovic retired after losing the first two sets. The Spaniard has won five of their first six fights.

At one stage he took a 14-4 lead, but Djokovic, who turned 35 earlier this month, started to take advantage of him in 2011, when he beat him in a Slam for the first time at Wimbledon. Since then, he has led 30-28, when the two men go head-to-head, their intensity matched only by their will to win.

This will be their 10th meeting at Roland-Garros, with Nadal winning eight of them. Djokovic’s two victories, including a suffocating semi-final victory in Paris last year, led to his two French Open titles, while Nadal finished 108-3 with a record 13 titles. at Roland-Garros – his only loss was Robin Soderling of Sweden in 2009.

Nadal has won 19 of his 27 clay court meetings with Djokovic, including the 2020 final, when he played incredible tennis to win consecutive sets. They have played each other in the finals of all four Slams.

But Djokovic didn’t drop a set en route to the quarterfinals of this French Open, while Nadal had to play for 4 and a half hours to subdue Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round. Whoever comes out on top will be the favorites for the title, though they’ll probably have to beat the rising star Carlos Alcarazwho will likely wait in the semi-finals.

🎙️ “Grand Slam tournaments always take precedence.”

Novak Djokovic defends his title and advances to the 21st Major. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/HxJTvtyNOE

– Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2022

Why Novak Djokovic will win

After missing out on this year’s Australian Open after being deported for failing to meet the country’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements, the world No 1 arrived in Paris revived, his confidence boosted. restored by victory at the Rome Masters.

Four straight wins have brought him through to the final eight with little concern, and unlike some years here in the past, he believes he will beat Nadal. The defending champion knows that evening conditions, when temperatures will be cooler and the ball does not bounce too high, will be suitable for his game, and seeing Nadal struggle in the previous round. Auger-Aliassime could only strengthen his resolve.

Mats Wilander, former world No. 1 and three-time Roland-Garros champion (first came in 1982) believes Djokovic is delivering the story in Australiaand the crowds in Paris are not always on his side, for his sake.

“I think he’s using the crowd to burn himself incredibly well,” said Wilander, as a Eurosport commentator. “They’re not against him but the crowd is definitely for the bottom team in this tournament. He’s turning it into: ‘You know, I’ll show you I’m the world No. 1’ with his body. language, and it helped him blend in with the crowd. I guess I expected the same thing with Rafa because nobody was against Rafa in Paris.”

After starting 2022 in such high form with the Australian Open, Nadal has missed the first month of the clay court season with a broken rib. His chronic left leg injury, which he has been managing since 2005, then flared up in Rome.

Crucially, for the first time, he admitted that he was coming to an end. “Honestly, every match that I play here, I don’t know if it will be the last game at Roland Garros of my tennis career.” he say. “That’s my situation now.”

Djokovic will also equal Nadal with 21 Grand Slams if he wins this weekend, which is enough motivation.

“I like my opportunities,” he said.

Djokovic. Nadal.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/4wHDHdmrF1

– Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2022

Why Rafael Nadal will win

Because he is Rafael Nadal, and because this is Roland-Garros.

Nadal’s number of French Open titles will certainly never be comparable. Starting in 2005, he has dominated the event like no man has ever dominated a Slam competition.

On paper, it was an uphill battle this time, at least, given his short preparation, given his rib injury, his foot injury in Rome and the fact that Djokovic appears to have re-emerged. established his previous world championship form.

But Nadal at Roland-Garros is a different animal from any other event, even Monte-Carlo, where he has won 11 times, and Barcelona, ​​where he has 12 titles.

The magnanimity of Court Philippe Chatrier, the main court at Roland-Garros, allows Nadal to step back when returning serves, giving him more time to return and use his strength. His ball retrieval skills are like no other, and the space behind and along the pitch gives him the opportunity to launch seemingly impossible shots.

The consensus seems to be that Nadal will need to start fast if he is to beat Djokovic. The last time he beat Serb from a set was in the 2014 final, and the world No 1 outplayed him going into their 59th fight.

There’s no doubt that Nadal wants the weather to be hotter and the match to be on the same day.

“I don’t like the clay night lessons,” he said on a number of occasions this week. But according to the forecast, the weather was moderately warm, just under 20 degrees, and the atmosphere of the nightlife, if last year was fine, would keep him fighting to the end, as always.

Nadal will regain confidence from the way he played in the final set of his win over Auger-Aliassime. Threatened and looking vulnerable, he ramped up his aggression on his return, starting forehand and showing the 21-year-old is still king.

There’s also the 2020 Roland-Garros final to compare this to. On that occasion, when the event was held in October, the conditions were quite cool and almost everyone gave him little chance to beat Djokovic. Sure, he’ll prefer the heat of the day, with his climactic shot higher than shoulder height, but perhaps there’s an element of mind game in his words this week.

If his foot is fine, and we’ve seen no evidence it’s bothering him this week, then Nadal, on clay at Roland-Garros, remains tennis’ biggest challenge. If Nadal gets off to a good start and draws the crowd to follow, he knows what he’s capable of.

After all, it’s only been four months since he won the Australian Open.

QF let’s go! Ideas !! 🔥 #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/UfSYu1QQGR

– Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) May 29, 2022

What will happen?

For all of his unbelievable feats at Roland-Garros, Nadal beating Djokovic on these conditions seems possible but unlikely. Odds are with world number 1, perhaps in four sets.