In a match worthy of the French Open final, tennis legends Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will square off in a blockbuster Roland-Garros quarter-final on May 31 (local time).
Nadal will go into the match as underdog despite the fact he has won 13 French Open titles and has only lost at the tournament three times in his entire career.
World no.1 Djokovic has been building into his season nicely, after missing the Australian Open, and will be hoping to win his 21st Grand Slam title and equal Nadal, who will be equally keen to skip two ahead of the Serbian.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about the titanic battle between two of tennis' greatest ever players.
Novak Djokovic's recent form
After an interrupted start to the year following his deportation prior to the Australian Open, Djokovic has been slowly gathering results and form ahead of an assault on the French Open and Wimbledon.
His clay court form has progressively improved since his first tournament on the surface in 2022, which saw him go down Andrey Rublev in the final of his home event in Belgrade in April.
In May, he made the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters with in-form teenager Carlos Alcaraz eliminating him in three close sets which featured two tiebreakers.
And at the final tournament before Roland-Garros - the Rome Masters - Djokovic won the title without conceding a set, defeating the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stan Wawrinka.
Djokovic has continued on at the French Open, winning every set he has played in so far, including two impressive victories against experienced claycourter Diego Schwartzman and in-form Alex Molcan.
Novak Djokovic's French Open 2022 results
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First | Yoshihito Nishioka (Japan) | 6-3 6-1 6-0 |
| Second | Alex Molcan (Slovakia) | 6-2 6-3 7-6(4) |
| Third | Aljaz Bedene (Slovenia) | 6-3 6-3 6-2 |
| Fourth | Diego Schwartzman [15] (Argentina) | 6-1 6-3 6-3 |
Rafael Nadal's recent form
Nadal entered the French Open as third favourite to win behind Djokovic and Alcaraz even though he won the Australian Open in January.
The world no.5 had most of his 2021 wiped out by a foot injury following his French Open 2021 final loss to Djokovic.
While he appeared to have recovered from that injury during his Australian Open triumph, Nadal looked troubled by a foot issue in the weeks prior to the French Open, nearly losing to David Goffin at the Madrid Masters, before being bundled out by Alcaraz in the quarter-finals and then being eliminated by Denis Shapovalov in the Rome Masters round of 16.
Nadal's fitness hasn't been in question during the opening rounds of the French Open, cruising through his first three matches in straight sets, before outlasting talented Canadian Auger-Aliassime across five sets in the fourth round.
Rafael Nadal's French Open 2022 results
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First | Jordan Thompson (Australia) | 6-2 6-2 6-2 |
| Second | Corentin Moutet (France) | 6-3 6-1 6-4 |
| Third | Botic van de Zandschulp [26] (Netherlands) | 6-3 6-2 6-4 |
| Fourth | Felix Auger-Aliassime [9] (Canada) | 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 |
Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal head-to-head results
After 58 encounters between Djokovic and Nadal in their careers, the Serbian holds a slender 30-28 lead as they prepare to battle in the French Open 2022 quarter final.
Only two players have ever beaten Nadal at Roland-Garros, Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic, who achieved the honour twice in the 2015 quarter final and 2021 semi final.
Nadal has defeated Djokovic seven times at the French Open, with three of those occasions coming in the final.
Last 10 meetings between Djokovic and Nadal
| Year | Event | Surface | Rnd | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | French Open | Clay | SF | Novak Djokovic | 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2 |
| 2021 | Rome Masters 1000 | Clay | Final | Rafael Nadal | 7-5 1-6 6-3 |
| 2020 | French Open | Clay | Final | Rafael Nadal | 6-0 6-2 7-5 |
| 2020 | ATP Cup (Australia) | Hard | Final | Novak Djokovic | 6-2 7-6(4) |
| 2019 | Rome Masters 1000 | Clay | Final | Rafael Nadal | 6-0 4-6 6-1 |
| 2019 | Australian Open | Hard | Final | Novak Djokovic | 6-3 6-2 6-3 |
| 2018 | Wimbledon | Grass | SF | Novak Djokovic | 6-4 3-6 7-6(9) 3-6 10-8 |
| 2018 | Rome Masters 1000 | Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal | 7-6(4) 6-3 |
| 2017 | Madrid Masters 1000 | Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal | 6-2 6-4 |
| 2016 | Rome Masters 1000 | Clay | QF | Novak Djokovic | 7-5 7-6(4) |
Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal betting odds
Novak Djokovic will enter the match against Rafael Nadal as the hot favourite for a number of reasons - despite the Spaniard's French Open domination in his career.
The Serbian looks to be in top form and defeated Nadal when they last met in the French Open semi-finals last year.
There is questions marks surrounding Nadal's fitness and he will also be coming off a four hour, 23 minute five-set match against Auger-Aliassime.
Djokovic v Nadal odds
| To Win | Australia | UK |
| Novak Djokovic (Serbia) | 1.44 | 4/9 |
| Rafael Nadal (Spain) | 2.75 | 7/4 |
Odds courtesy of Neds, SkyBet for UK
Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal prediction
It's hard to ever tip against Rafael Nadal in Paris but Novak Djokovic is the one man who has had his measure before at Roland-Garros.
Nadal seems to be travelling better than critics thought he would prior to the French Open, but he showed weakness against Auger-Aliassime, despite getting the job done in the end.
Djokovic has been relatively untroubled throughout his four matches so far, although he did find himself an early break down in the second set against Schwartzman, before sweeping to a comfortable win.
It won't be straight sets but Djokovic will end Nadal's charge for a 22nd Grand Slam and give himself a chance to tie Nadal for career majors.
Prediction: Djokovic in four sets.
