Rafael Nadal's agent jokingly asked me to remove Novak Djokovic from his half of the draw: Roland Garros tournament director Guy Forget
Rafael Nadal enters Roland Garros 2021 as the third seed and has been drawn in the same half as World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, meaning he is likely to face the Serb in the semifinals.
The Spaniard could also meet the likes of Lorenzo Sonego, Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev en route to the final.
Given the way the draw has panned out, many have questioned Roland Garros' decision to follow the ATP rankings as opposed to Wimbledon's system of allotting seedings based on a player's grasscourt form and record.
Speaking to the media, Tournament Director Guy Forget said the thought of moving Nadal up to the second seed instead of Daniil Medvedev, who has never won a match at Roland Garros, had crossed their minds, but they ultimately decided to follow the ATP rankings.
"Clay today is a real specialist surface but we decided to follow the ATP rankings," said Forget. "Medvedev didn't steal his ranking; he has earned it. It may seem unbalanced on paper, but if Rafa wants to win a 14th title here, he's going to have to beat Novak. Whether he beats him in the final or in the semi-finals...."
Forget also went on to claim that Rafael Nadal's agent had jokingly asked him to "remove" Novak Djokovic from the Mallorcan's half of the draw.
"I know that Rafa's agent jokingly asked me to remove Rafa from Novak but the draw is electronic," added the Frenchman.
We would not have imagined Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic in such a draw a few months ago: Guy Forget
Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have been placed in the same half of a Grand Slam draw for the first time in their careers.
Forget believes the nature of the draw has presented the NextGen, which consists of the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev, with a terrific chance of making an impact in Paris.
"We would not have imagined it a few months ago," Forget said. "These three boys (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) have won almost everything for 15 years. Finally, this passing of the baton that we talk about a lot with the Tsitsipas, Rublev, Thiem is accentuated by the force of circumstances we find here."
While Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem are in the opposite half of the draw as Rafael Nadal and cannot face the Spaniard before the final, the same cannot be said of Andrey Rublev.
The Russian, who recently accounted for Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters, finds himself in the 13-time champion's quarter, meaning the two are likely to lock horns in the last eight.