We normally expect to see Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal play against each other at the French Open. What is abnormal of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros is the fact that Nadal and Djokovic are facing each other not in the semifinals or the finals, but the quarterfinals.
French Open History
Djokovic is one of two tennis players (the other is Robin Soderling of Sweden) to beat Nadal at the French Open throughout Nadal’s sensational French Open career. Djokovic has beaten Nadal twice (quarterfinals of the 2015 French Open and the 2021 French Open semifinals). Nadal has beaten Djokovic at the French Open in the 2006 quarterfinals (their first ever meeting head-to-head), the 2007 semifinals, the 2008 semifinals, the 2012 finals, the 2013 semifinals, the 2014 finals, and the 2020 finals. All-time, Nadal is 109-3 at the French Open. Let me repeat. He is 109-3.
Related: Rafael Nadal Wins French Open For The 13th Time
2022 French Open
Nadal reached the 2022 French Open after a dramatic five-set win over Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the fourth round. Nadal was victorious over the ninth seed, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime is one of two seeded players Nadal has beaten en route to the quarterfinals. The other was Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, the 26th seed, who Nadal beat easily, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic meanwhile beat Diego Schawartzman of Argentina, the 20th seed and 2020 French Open semifinalist, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round. Heading into the quarterfinal, Djokovic is at -220, while Nadal is at +190.
Other Three Quarterfinals
One of the other three quarterfinals, have Scandinavian players who have similar last names. The eighth seed Casper Ruud of Norway (-195) is favoured against Holger Rune of Denmark (+170). Rune made tennis headlines on Monday when he stunned 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece (7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4). The other quarterfinals have the 20th seed and 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic of Croatia (+136) versus the seventh seed Andrey Rublev of Russia (-156), and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain (-436) versus Alexander Zverev of Germany (+346). Odds courtesy of betonline.ag.
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