Paris Olympics 2024 Draw: Novak Djokovic's projected path to the final ft. possible R2 clash with Rafael Nadal and QF with Stefanos Tsitsipas
Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a first-ever Olympic gold medal as tennis at the Paris Olympics 2024 gets underway on July 27. This will be his fifth appearance in singles at the Games.
The Serb bagged the bronze medal on his debut at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He narrowly missed out on securing the same medal at the London Olympics in 2012 and finished in fourth place. The Rio Olympics 2016 marked his earliest exit from the tournament as he was eliminated in the first round.
The Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic, saw him come in fourth place yet again. After claiming almost every major trophy and milestone in tennis, Olympic gold has remained elusive for Djokovic.
On that note, here's a look at the players whom the 24-time Major champion will have to go through at the Paris Olympics 2024:
R1 opponent - Matthew Ebden
Djokovic will kick off his campaign at the Olympics against doubles specialist Matthew Ebden. The latter wasn't slated to compete in singles but following some withdrawals, he managed to get in the singles draw as well.
Ebden was ranked as high as No. 39 in singles back in 2018 but has since turned his attention to doubles. It was a smart move as he has won a couple of Major titles in the discipline and reached the top of the rankings. However, beating the Serb will be a tall order for him despite his achievements.
Possible R2 opponent - Rafael Nadal
Djokovic and Nadal's rivalry could be renewed after more than two years if they meet at this stage. However, as per recent developments, the Spaniard may pull out of singles.
The Serb could instead face Marton Fucsovics or Nadal's replacement should the latter withdraw. Regardless of what happens, he's likely to make it past this round as well.
Possible R3 opponent - Arthur Fils/Matteo Arnaldi
Fils recently won the Hamburg European Open over Alexander Zverev in the final. He also made the fourth round of Wimbledon. However, he has never beaten Arnaldi so far, going 0-3 against him, and has never made it past the first round of the French Open, where the Paris Olympics are being held.
Either of the two youngsters is likely to be Djokovic's opponent in this round. They could give him a tough time but his experience should help him get over the finish line.
Possible QF opponent - Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tsitsipas' record at Roland Garros makes him a strong contender to make the last eight of the Paris Olympics. However, his lopsided head-to-head against Djokovic means that he's unlikely to advance beyond this stage.
The rivalry leans 11-2 in the Serb's favor, who has won their last 10 matches, including a comeback from two sets down in the final of the French Open three years ago. He'll be expected to extend his winning streak over Tsitsipas should they cross paths here once again.
Possible SF opponent - Alexander Zverev/Lorenzo Musetti
Zverev, who's the defending champion, could be the 37-year-old's most likely semifinal opponent. The German won the Italian Open this year and reached the final of the French Open as well.
Should Zverev stumble early on, Musetti is another potential candidate for Djokovic to deal with in the semifinals. He recently beat him in the Wimbledon semifinals as well.
The Serb has a winning record over both his rivals. He leads Zverev 8-4 in the head-to-head and leads Musetti 6-1. The German is likely to present more of a challenge compared to the Italian based on their results this year.
Possible Final opponent - Carlos Alcaraz/Casper Ruud
Two weeks after losing to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic could face him once again in the gold medal play-off match. The Serb was completely outplayed in London and lost to him in straight sets.
Alcaraz evened their head-to-head to 3-3 with his latest win over Djokovic. They are tied 1-1 on clay, with the latter's win on the red dirt coming at last year's French Open.
Ruud is another player who could reach the final given his track record at the venue. He's a two-time runner-up at Roland Garros and lost the 2023 final to the Serb.
After losing their first five matches, Ruud finally beat Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters this year. They were supposed to square off in the French Open quarterfinals as well but the latter withdrew due to an injury. The Serb has a tricky draw but also has the game to handle whatever his opponents throw at him.