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RAFAEL NADAL is looking for an unprecedented 14th French open title.
But standing in his way in the quarter-final is his arch nemesis, Novak Djokovic.
Rafael Nadal will face Novak Djokovic in the French Open quarter-finalCredit: EPA
Novak Djokovic is looking for a second straight French Open final but will have to get past 13-time champ NadalCredit: Getty
Since 2005, Rafael Nadal has enjoyed an almost uninterrupted reign as the King of Clay.
But last year, Djokovic stunned him on Philippe Chatrier to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 in the semi-final before going on to win his second Roland Garros title.
This year, the pair meet in the quarter-final, due to Nadal dropping to fifth in the world rankings.
So far, Djokovic has had a clear run through to the quarter-final, having not yet dropped a set.
Nadal had been flawless in the first three rounds but was pushed all the way in round four as he earned a five-set win over Felix Auger-Aliassime.
When is Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic?
Nadal will meet Djokovic on Tuesday, May 31.
The match is almost certain to take place on Court Philippe Chatrier.
It is scheduled to get underway from 7:45pm UK time – 8:45pm in Paris.
That decision has drawn criticism from Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya, with the conditions at night thought to favour Djokovic.
Moya said: “Rafa is a 13-time tournament winner, so if he makes a request, you should listen to him.
“But it’s about business, and we understand it.”
What TV channel is Nadal vs Djokovic on and can I live stream it?
Nadal vs Djokovic is live on Eurosport.
To stream it live, head to Discovery+, with an Entertainment and Sport package costing £6.99/month to subscribe to.
You can also stream it on Amazon Prime, which costs £7.99 each on month but also comes with a 30-day free trial period.
Path to quarter-final
Rafael Nadal
First round
Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Second round
Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4
Third round
Botic van de Zandschulp (26) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Fourth round
Felix Auger-Aliassime (9) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Novak Djokovic
First round
Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-1, 6-0
Second round
Alex Molcan 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (6-4)
Third round
Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
Fourth round
Diego Schwartzman (15) 6-1, 6-3, 6-3
Head-to-head
Novak Djokovic enjoys a slightly superior head-to-head record against Rafael Nadal, with 30 wins to the Spaniard’s 28.
The Serb’s famous four-set win over Nadal at Roland Garros last year was the last time they played each other.
That match was Djokovic’s second victory over Nadal at the French Open, with King of Clay Rafa winning seven.
In Grand Slams, Djokovic has won seven matches and Nadal ten.
