PARIS (Reuters) – Top seed Novak Djokovic could face 14-times French Open champion Rafa Nadal in a blockbuster second-round match in the Olympic men’s singles after the draw was made at Roland Garros on Thursday.
Serbia’s Djokovic, bidding to claim the Olympic gold medal that has eluded him, could have his path blocked by the Spaniard who has reigned supreme on the Parisian clay.
Djokovic, promoted to number one seed after the withdrawal of Italy’s Jannik Sinner due to illness, will face Australia’s Matthew Ebden in the opening round.
If he wins and Nadal beats Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics the pair will continue a huge career rivalry which has seen them clash 10 times at the French Open — three in final, all of which Nadal won.
Men’s second seed Carlos Alcaraz, who claimed his fourth Grand Slam title by winning Wimbledon this month, will face Lebanon’s Hady Habib in the first round.
Nadal and Alcaraz have joined forced as a Spanish dream team for the men’s doubles and although not seeded will be strong medal contenders. They will play Argentine duo Maximo Gonzales and Andres Molteni in the first round.
In the women’s singles draw, top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland meets Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu while second seed Coco Gauff faces Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
Defending men’s singles champion Alexander Zverev, seeded three, faces Spain’s Jaume Munar in his opening match.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
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