Novak Djokovic overcame great foe Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics in what might be the final instalment of their captivating rivalry. (Full Coverage | More Tennis News)
Nadal looked down and out midway through the second set, but the 14-time French Open champion has plenty of history at Roland-Garros and did not go down without a fight.
Ultimately, though, Djokovic just had too much, and prevailed 6-1 6-4 to take his place in the third round.
Djokovic dominated the opening set, needing just 39 minutes to nose himself ahead in the 60th contest between these two greats, and the first since the 2022 French Open.
It was just the third time Nadal had won only one game in a completed set at Roland-Garros, and the first time since a 2015 French Open quarter-final against Djokovic.
Djokovic seemed to be cruising towards a routine victory as he stormed into a 4-0 lead in the second set, yet Nadal's magnificent levels of resilience came to the fore as the Spaniard reeled off four straight games to draw level at 4-4.
The Serbian eventually wrestled back control, capitalising on a fourth break point to go 5-4 up and, after a long return from Nadal, Djokovic served out for the match to bring what could be the last match of this incredible rivalry to a close.
Data Debrief: The last dance
Nadal, who is also in doubles action in Paris with Carlos Alcaraz, came into this with a big edge at Roland-Garros over Djokovic, holding an 8-2 head-to-head record at the venue, with that including three French Open final victories.
This duo are the first male players to face each other 60 times in the Open Era, and if it was to be their last dance, at least Nadal made a fist of it.
Djokovic was the stronger player throughout, though, despite that second-set fightback from Nadal, and the world number two is the player with the most match wins against a single opponent in the Open Era (31).
He is also the first player to win 15 men's singles matches at the Olympics since tennis returned to the summer programme in 1988.
