 "Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who have a total of 46 Grand Slam titles between them, could potentially face each other one final time in the Paris Olympics. Reuters")
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal face a potential second-round showdown according to the Olympic tennis draw that was unveiled on Thursday, a day before the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.
As for the women’s draw, World No 1 Iga Swiatek takes on Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu while the second-ranked Coco Gauff faces Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović.
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Djokovic had won bronze in the Beijing 2008 and will be hoping to add an Olympic gold medal to his collection of 24 Grand Slams. He faces Australia’s Matthew Ebden in the opening clash.
Long-time rival Nadal had won gold in the Beijing Games, defeating Djokovic in the semis 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, and will be hoping to sign off with a second Olympic gold.
Nadal, who faces Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in the first round, is widely believed to be making his final competitive appearance of his career though the 14-time French Open champion had earlier said he will make a final decision on the same at the end of the Games.
Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, opens his account against Lebanon’s Hady Habib while Alexander Zverev is up against Spain’s Jaume Munar in Round 1.
Andy Murray, who had made his final appearance in Wimbledon earlier this month, has withdrawn from the men’s singles competition along with Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune but will play the men’s doubles event with Dan Evans.
Read | Andy Murray confirms Paris Olympics to be his final tournament
Two-time Australian Open and US Open champion Naomi Osaka faces three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber in the opening round three years after lighting the cauldron in the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony.