French Open, Djokovic vs Nadal: Decoding their rivalry in numbers
World number one Novak Djokovic takes on 13-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster semi-final clash at Roland Garros later tonight. Djokovic is aiming to stop Nadal from sealing a record-extending 14th crown. Last month, the two stars met in the final of the Italian Open, and Nadal sealed a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 victory. Here we decode their rivalry in numbers.
Nadal is aiming to win fifth successive Roland Garros title
Nadal is aiming to win a 14th Roland Garros honor and a 21st Grand Slam as well, moving past Roger Federer (20). Notably, Nadal has never lost a semi-final clash at Roland Garros, progressing to 13 finals and winning all of them. He has won four successive Roland Garros titles. Out of 16 seasons, Nadal has missed out on the trophy on three occasions.
French Open: Djokovic aiming to improve his record
Djokovic has only beaten Nadal once in their previous eight meetings at Roland Garros. The Serbian ace has reached his 11th French Open semi-final. He has won the trophy just once in his career in 2016. Djokovic has bowed out of the semis at the French Open on five occasions. He will be hoping to reach a sixth French Open final.
A look at their win-loss record at the French Open
Nadal has a 105-2 win-loss record at Roland Garros. Notably, Nadal has won the most matches at a single Grand Slam in men's history. Meanwhile, Djokovic has a 79-15 win-loss record at the French Open.
Djokovic leads Nadal 29-28 in head-to-head meetings
The two players have met each other on 57 occasions across tournaments. Djokovic has a 29-28 lead against Rafa. Nadal is aiming to win a third successive match against Djokovic. Prior to the Rome win, he had beaten Djokovic in the final of the 2020 French Open. Nadal also has a 3-0 record against Djokovic when it comes to finale meetings at Roland Garros.
Nadal has a 19-7 lead against Djokovic on clay
This is set to be the 27th meeting between the two players on clay. After pocketing the title in Rome, Nadal extended his head-to-head tally against Djokovic to 19-7.
