Will the 2016 French Open Renew the Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic Rivalry?

As the 2016 French Open looms closer, Rafael Nadal may have opened the door to his rivalry with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The great Spaniard has come back from the obscure depths of his No. 5 ranking with a huge turnaround in just a couple of weeks with redemptive titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

While Djokovic has been sitting on the sidelines, Nadal’s ascension has fueled speculation about a 10th French Open title. Is he more threat than irritant to Djokovic’s obsession to finally nail down his first title at Roland Garros?

“[The] King of clay is Rafa,” Roger Federer said in Rafa Roundup, courtesy of RafaelNadalFans.com. “He is the tennis player to beat. Novak’s never won in Paris. Maybe now he’s the favorite, but Nadal is Nadal. I am happy of what he showed to those who did not believe that he could win in Monte Carlo.”

Other contenders come and go, but this is Nadal, perhaps history’s greatest fighter, the southpaw antagonist who has made a career of mini-comebacks while shaking his fist at the tennis gods and their curses of injuries and aging. Is it really that surprising that the muscular clay king has returned with dervish topspin and another call at a rivalry with King Novak—the one player who has tormented him for over four years of ups and downs?

The Golden Age of modern tennis legends may not be finished with the anticlimax of Djokovic’s unfettered domination. Matches come and go, but the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry could very well pull back the curtain for one more epic clash on the red clay at Roland Garros. Despite their rivalry, Djokovic praised Nadal for his clay-court accomplishments, per We Are Tennis:

Novak Djokovic: “Rafael Nadal is the best player on clay in tennis history. I insist” pic.twitter.com/A6sHETYHoN

— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) April 21, 2016

One More Rivalry Chapter

In last year’s French Open quarterfinals, Djokovic obliterated Nadal’s five-year lock of winning the Musketeer Cup. It seemed to signal the end of their rivalry, barring a Nadal return to prominence. It’s the longest and most prolific rivalry in the modern era in terms of majors and Masters 1000 clashes and all that has been at stake through their 48 matches. And it’s been a hard-fought and streaky rivalry with unmatched energy and fierceness. 

Nadal dominated the early-rivalry phase, winning 14 of 18 in their head-to-head matches. There …

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