"Novak Djokovic sending Rafael Nadal to retirement"; "Nadal whopping Novak a*s" - Fans react as Spaniard confirms "biggest match up of Paris Olympics"

Tennis fans couldn't contain their excitement about the upcoming blockbuster clash between arch rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nadal beat Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the opening round on Sunday, July 28, to confirm the highly anticipated match-up. Djokovic, meanwhile, kicked off his campaign at Roland-Garros on Saturday, beating Australia’s Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1.

Their second-round match in Paris is their second meeting at the Olympics, after their semifinal at Beijing 2008, where eventual gold medalist Rafael Nadal prevailed in three sets. The pair have met a staggering 59 times so far on tour, making theirs the greatest rivalry in men’s tennis.

It is worth noting that the two former World No. 1s have faced off at Roland-Garros 10 times in their careers, with Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion, coming out on top in eight of those matches. Interestingly, three of their last four matches have come on the Parisian claycourts (2020, 2021, and 2022).

What makes the upcoming meeting particularly exciting is that this might well be the final chapter of their glorious rivalry, with the two legends in the twilight of their careers.

Given its significance, Novak Djokovic’s meeting with his Spanish counterpart has created a lot of buzz ever since the draw was released on Thursday.

Tennis fans worldwide were delighted when Rafael Nadal confirmed the matchup with his win on Sunday.

"This is the biggest match up of the #OlympicGames and it should be highlighted by them big time. Nothing comes close," one fan said.

"Absolutely not ready for this," another fan said.

Several fans expressed happiness about the two locking horns for the first time since their 2022 French Open quarterfinal at Roland-Garros.

"VAMOSSS!!! RAFA. PEAK TENNIS IS BACK MAN... I USED TO PRAY FOR DAYS LIKE THESE," one fan said.

"One last dance? It would be great if Rafa could come back much stronger than anyone expects," another hopeful fan said.

"Legend. Let’s hope he doesn’t pull out. We NEED the last dance with Nole," one fan chimed in.

A few fans debated who would win the match.

"(Rafael Nadal) whopping Novak a*s," one fan joked.

"(Novak Djokovic) sending (Rafa) to retirement on Philippe-Chatrier," another fan said.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans.

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What Novak Djokovic said about facing Rafael Nadal at Paris Olympics: "I'm looking forward to our last dance"

The Spaniard beat the Serb at 2022 French Open, which was their most recent meeting Source: Getty

Following his first-round win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Novak Djokovic, the top seed, addressed the hype around the match.

"Yeah there is a great hype around that," the 24-time Grand Slam champion said on court. "I've got to get ready for that one obviously, it can be a blockbuster."

As mentioned earlier, Stade Roland-Garros holds immense significance in the duo’s rivalry. Their first-ever meeting came on the Parisian clay in 2006, when the then-defending champion, Nadal, beat Djokovic in the quarterfinals. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has since established a spectacular 20-8 win record against the Serb on the surface.

"It's one of the matches or one of the events I guess that a lot of people at the Olympics in Paris this year are looking forward to," Novak Djokovic said.

Rafael Nadal, who trails by one win (29-30) in their head-to-head, would look to draw level in their upcoming Paris Olympics match.

"When the draw came out, we knew that there is a high probability that it might happen, so I'm ready for it. I'm looking forward to our last dance so to say, possibly on this court," Djokovic added.