Rafael Nadal received a standing ovation from fans at the Paris Olympics even before he stepped onto the court. As he prepared to play on the red clay courts familiar from both the Olympics and the French Open, the crowd applauded and raised their phones to capture the moment. Nadal, 38, defeated Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round, setting up a highly anticipated second-round match against Novak Djokovic.
This will mark the 60th meeting between Nadal and Djokovic, the most of any two men in the Open Era. Djokovic leads their head-to-head series 30-29 and holds 24 Grand Slam titles, surpassing Nadal’s 22.
Djokovic, 37, underwent knee surgery in June but managed to reach the Wimbledon final before losing to Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal, who has struggled with injuries over the past two years, including hip surgery, also faced treatment for a finger issue during his match with Fucsovics.
Nadal, who initially was uncertain about competing in both singles and doubles, decided to continue in the singles bracket after winning in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz. Stan Wawrinka commented on the significance of the matchup, noting the historical nature of the rivalry.
Nadal’s performance against Fucsovics displayed his well-known fighting spirit, although he has not won a Grand Slam match in 2024. Nadal missed the Australian Open and lost in the first round of the French Open before skipping Wimbledon to avoid transitioning between grass and clay surfaces.
As Nadal prepares for his match against Djokovic, he acknowledged the unpredictability of facing his rival under different circumstances and expressed hope for a strong performance. The clash between these two tennis legends will be one of the highlights of the Paris Olympics.
