Rafael Nadal will be facing the toughest quarter-final of his career once he face Novak Djokovic at the French Open. Recently Nadal beat Jack Sock 6-3 6-1 5-7 6-2 in round four. The Spaniard hopes to become the first player in the Opera era to win 10 titles at any Grand Slam event.
Looking back, Nadal has defeated Djokovic - who beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-1 6-2 6-3 - six times in the French Open, including in each of the last three years.
However, the nine-time champion Nadal has only won one tournament since Paris last year, while top seed Djokovic is on a 26-match winning streak.
However, the nine-time champion Nadal has only won one tournament since Paris last year, while top seed Djokovic is on a 26-match winning streak.
"It is not the final, you know," said Nadal, who will turn 29 on Wednesday. "It's a quarter-final. And, no, the winner of that match will not be the Roland Garros champion.
"They will be a semi-finalist of Roland Garros. That makes a big difference. Even if it's a special match, it's a quarter-final match."
Djokovic on the otherhand hopes to win the one major title and also to complete the career Grand Slam.
"Of course it is a different approach mentally when you play Nadal in quarter-finals than any other player," said the Serb.
"There is no doubt about that. I'm going to try to keep my routine the same and not give so much importance to the match.
"I know what I need to do to have a chance to win. That doesn't mean that I will win. The future is unpredictable."
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