Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 22-time Grand Slam winner, Rafael Nadal will take on each other in the quarter-finals of the Roland Garros
As Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic get ready to square off for the 59th time in their careers, here’s a look at some of the finest matches played between the two icons of the sport.
5. 2010 US Open Final
Nadal won the match 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. In the 2010 US Open final, Nadal continued his domination over his great rival in Majors and went on to complete the career Golden Slam. He hadn’t lost a single set in his first six matches of the tournament and proved to be too powerful for Djokovic in the final.
4. 2011 Wimbledon Final
Djokovic won the match 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. Djokovic beat Nadal comfortably in Wimbledon 2011, which was the start of a hat-trick of Grand Slam final victories for him over the Spaniard. “It’s really hard to describe this with any words except as the best day of my life, the most special day of my life,” said Djokovic after the match.
3. 2015 French Open Quarter-final
Novak Djokovic won the match 7-5, 6-3, 6-1. Djokovic became only the second man after Robin Soderling in 2009 to defeat Nadal on the red clay of Roland Garros as he maintained his hopes of completing the career Grand Slam. The 35-year-old went on to lose the final to Stan Wawrinka but would win his first Roland Garros title 12 months later with victory in the final over Andy Murray.
2. 2013 French Open semi-final
Nadal won the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 9-7. Djokovic was trying to become the eighth man to complete the career Grand Slam while Nadal was bidding for an eighth title in Paris. In the Roland Garros final, Nadal was 6-5 up in the fourth set and two points from victory but Djokovic hit back and then led 4-2 in the final set before Nadal dug deep to triumph after four hours and 37 minutes.
1. 2012 Australian Open Final
Djokovic won the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5. In the longest ever Grand Slam final at five hours and 53 minutes, Djokovic came back from 4-2 down in the fifth set. It was the third successive Grand Slam final that Djokovic and Nadal had contested, and saw the Serb extend his winning streak over Nadal to seven straight matches.
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