Rafael Nadal Survives Tough Test To Set Up A Meeting Against Novak Djokovic In The Second Round Of The Paris Olympics

A blockbuster match between the two greats of the sport is set as Rafael Nadal survives a three-set match against Hungarian Marton Fucsovic in the first round at the Paris Olympics. Nadal won 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, taking 2 and a half hours to complete the match. 

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The 14-time Roland Garros champion came on to the court after deciding to play singles in the morning after a fitness assessment. The worries were soon settled as Nadal led 3-0 from the get-go and clinched the first set 6-1 in 31 minutes.

Things got complicated in the second set as Fuscovic raised his level, drawing multiple unforced errors from Nadal’s backhand. After trading a few breaks, the last straw came when Nadal failed to hold serve and allowed the Hungarian to take the second set 6-4. 

The final set was done in a similar fashion as the second. There were close games with each saving breakpoints. Nadal then secured a crucial break to lead 4-2 and with both holding their subsequent serves, it was Nadal’s chance to serve out the match at 5-4. He took the win on his third match point with a forehand. 

The King of Clay sets up a 60th meeting against his long-time rival and the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. Djokovic currently edges Nadal in their head-to-head count leading 30-29. There are a total of 17 Roland Garros titles between the two. It is an unusually early meeting between the two as we are so used to seeing them meet in the latter part of the draws. It is one of the most exciting matchups to watch for tennis fans.