In their 60th head-to-head match, Novak Djokovic overcame Rafael Nadal with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on Monday at Court Philippe Chatrier, advancing to the round of 16 in the Olympic tennis singles tournament in Paris.
Facing a significant challenge, Nadal trailed 4-0 in the second set but managed to level the score at 4-4. Djokovic, however, regained control and converted his fourth break point to secure the ninth game of the set, ending Nadal’s comeback attempt.
Despite the singles loss, Nadal, 38, continues his Olympic journey in the doubles competition with partner Carlo Alcaraz. The duo claimed a straight-sets win against Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in their debut match on Saturday.
Djokovic, seeking his first Olympic gold, will next compete against either Germany’s Dominik Koepfer or Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the round of 16. This victory extends Djokovic’s lead over Nadal in their rivalry to 31-29.
Nadal’s future in major singles tournaments remains uncertain. Although listed for next month’s US Open, his participation is not confirmed. Injuries have limited Nadal’s play over the past two seasons, causing him to miss five of the last seven Grand Slam events, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year. He has not progressed beyond the second round of a major tournament since 2022.
