The first two Roland Garros quarter-final matches will take place on Tuesday, with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal ready to go to battle for the 59th time. It is a blockbuster clash that is set to light up the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The early action will see Carlos Alcaraz look to create more history when he takes on World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in a repeat of the recent Mutua Madrid Open final, which the Spaniard won.
In the doubles, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will continue their quest for a third Grand Slam title together.
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[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [5] Rafael Nadal (ESP)
In one of the biggest matches on of the season, World No. 1 Djokovic and 13-time Roland Garros champion Nadal will collide in a colossal battle as they prepare to write another chapter into their long-running rivalry when they meet in the quarter-finals at the clay-court major.
Djokovic clawed past Nadal in the semi-finals in Paris en route to the title last season and will take a 30-28 ATP Head2Head series lead into the clash, in what will be their first meeting in a year. However, despite his defeat last season, Nadal holds the advantage in the French capital. He has won seven of their nine meetings, including victories in three championship matches.
“I haven’t played this kind of match for the past three months, so [it is] going to be a big challenge for me,” Nadal said when looking ahead to the match. “Of course he already won I think [his] past nine matches in a row, winning in Rome and now winning here in straight sets every match. Probably he will be confident. I know how my situation is and I accept it well. I going to fight for it.”
The Spaniard lifted the trophy at the Australian Open in January and is aiming to capture a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title this week. He was pushed to a fifth set for just the third time at Roland Garros in the fourth round against Felix Auger-Aliassime, but survived to improve to 109-3 at the major.
Photo Credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Djokovic arrived in Paris off the back of capturing a record-extending 38th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Rome. So far, the 35-year-old has not put a foot wrong, advancing in straight sets in all four matches.
“I'm glad that I didn't spend too much time on the court myself up to quarter-finals, knowing that playing him in Roland Garros is always a physical battle, along with everything else,” Djokovic said following his win over Diego Schwartzman.
“It's a huge challenge and probably the biggest one that you can have here in Roland Garros,” Djokovic said. “I'm ready for it… I like the way I have been feeling, the way I have been hitting the ball. I will focus on what I need to do.”
Two-time Roland Garros titlist Djokovic is looking to draw level with rival Nadal on 21 Grand Slams this week. The top seed, who is 16-4 on the season, will be aiming to inflict just a fourth defeat of the year on Nadal, with the World No. 5 targeting a fourth tour-level title of the season in the French capital.
In a match that has been highly anticipated since the draw was made, expect fireworks as Djokovic and Nadal aim to light up Paris once again.
[6] (ESP) Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexander Zverev [3] (GER)
Alcaraz became the youngest Roland Garros quarter-finalist since Djokovic in 2006 when he cruised past Karen Khachanov to book his spot in the last eight. The 19-year-old Spaniard has lit up the Tour all season with his performances and will look to create more history when he faces Zverev for the second time this month.
The World No. 6 defeated the German in the Madrid final to lift his tour-leading fourth trophy on the season. Alcaraz, who saved a match point against Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round, has won his past 14 matches and will enter the match high in confidence as he continues his search for a first Grand Slam title in what is just his second appearance in Paris.
Photo Credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images
After rallying from two-sets-to-love down against Argentine Sebastian Baez in the second round, Zverev swept aside Brandon Nakashima and Bernabe Zapata Miralles to reach the quarter-finals in Paris for the fourth time.
Despite his defeat in Madrid, the World No. 3 leads Alcaraz 2-1 in their ATP Head2Head series, with the 25-year-old triumphing in Acapulco and Vienna last season. Zverev heads into the match holding a 14-4 record on clay this year, while Alcaraz is 32-3 on the season (19-1 on clay).
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Doubles QFs Continue
The final two quarter-final matches will take place on Tuesday, with a host of top teams in action.Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will continue their quest for a third Grand Slam title together when they face Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek. The top seeds lifted the trophy in Monte Carlo last month and have yet to drop a set in Paris.
Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski have won a Tour-leading four crowns together this year and are No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Teams Rankings. The Dutch-British tandem will play fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos for a place in the semi-finals. Granollers and Zeballos have earned six titles together but are still searching for their maiden trophy of the year.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/lZKepRL
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