Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic will take to court on what promises to be an exciting day of tennis at the French Open tennis tournament. Both the men and women’s side are down to their last eight, officially setting off championship week from today.
Nadal will face his fellow countryman (and occasional doubles partner) Pablo Carreno Busta at the quarter-finals today. Nadal has been on his typical dominant clay king form this tournament – he has not lost a set so far, and is well on track to win the title without doing so, something he did in 2008 and 2010. Carreno Busta has battled a much different path – he beat fifth-seeded Milos Raonic to earn his first-ever appearance in the quarters of a major.
Even as Nadal continues his running for la decima , all eyes will be on the other match – between Djokovic and sixth-seed Dominic Thiem. Thiem has arguably been the second best player on clay this season after Nadal, and he would be looking to reach his second consecutive French Open semi-final. He, like Nadal, has not lost a set yet in this tournament.
Djokovic's progress in this tournament has been troublesome in comparison, being stretched to five sets by Diego Schwartzman in round three -- but the battle-hardened Serb is well-versed in the business end of slams and usually raises his game. He will look forward to getting his form back on track.
In a wide-open women’s draw, Kristina Mladenovic leads the hopes of the French nation in her first quarter-final appearance. Mladenovic, the 13th seed who knocked out defending champion Garbine Muguruza, will play against 30th seed Timea Bacsinszky who made the last-four in 2015.
Two-time US Open runner-up and former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki is through to the last eight at Roland Garros for the first time since 2010. She will battle it out against 19-year-old Jelena Ostapenko. World No. 47 Ostapenko advanced to her first career Grand Slam quarterfinal with a win over 2010 French Open finalist Stosur. Even if Wozniacki is the more experienced player, Ostapenko leads the head-to-head match-up against Wozniacki 3-0, including wins on clay in Charleston and Prague this season.
Here’s the schedule for today:
Men’s:
Nadal v Carreno Busta – 6:45 p.m
Djokovic v Thiem – 6:45 p.m
Women’s:
Mladenovic v Bacsinszky – 5:30 p.m
Ostapenko v Wozniacki – 5: 30 p.m
