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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal meet for the 35th time on Friday with a French Open final place at stake and their reputations as the two heavyweights of the sport.
World No.1 Djokovic needs a Roland Garros title to become just the eighth man to capture a career grand slam.
Nadal is just two matches away from becoming the first man to win the same major on eight occasions.
It’s the match-up that most neutrals would have hoped to have graced Sunday’s final, but Nadal’s seven-month absence from the sport contributed to his No.3 seeding.
The 27-year-old Spaniard enjoys a 19-15 winning record over his Serb rival and a 12-3 edge on clay.
Seven-time champion Nadal, who beat Djokovic in last year’s final, has a staggering 57-1 win-loss record in Paris.
But Nadal is keen to play down the hype despite six titles from eight events contested since his tour return in February.
He is also keenly aware that Djokovic, just one year his junior, relieved him of his Monte Carlo Masters title in April, a claycourt crown he had proudly worn for eight years.
“My only ambition is feel myself competitive another time, feel myself happy to play tennis another time, and try to play with no limitations. So that was my only ambition four months ago, three months ago,” he said.
“I am able to play with less pressure than before because I know I came from a very low situation, very low moments, so everything is positive for me.”
Nadal has faced Djokovic more times than he has played Roger Federer, whose disappointing quarter-final exit to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga only to served to fuel speculation that the great Swiss is past his best.
Nadal has met Djokovic in five grand slam finals in less than three years.
Djokovic already has the Australian Open under his belt this year and believes his game – and the crucial psychological triumph in Monte Carlo, could be key on Friday.
The top seed has lost all four meetings with Nadal at Roland Garros.
“I played him in Monte Carlo on clay. I played a fantastic match, and I know what it takes to win against him. That’s what I’m going for. I’m going to win. That’s the mindset.”
The enormous expectation surrounding Nadal and Djokovic will be welcomed by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who faces David Ferrer in the other semi-final as he continues his campaign to become France’s first home champion since Yannick Noah in 1983.
Sixth seeded Tsonga is looking to make his second final at a major following his runner-up finish to Djokovic in Australia in 2008.
Ferrer, the fourth seed, made the semi-finals last year and is yet to make the breakthrough to a final and, at 31, the clock is ticking.
“I am really up for this meeting with Tsonga. It’s my second semi-final at Roland Garros and it’s a very important juncture of my career,” he said.
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