One step at a time paramount for Djokovic, Nadal

1:55 PM ET

PARIS — After two days of rain, they finally made their French Open debuts on the Roland Garros show courts that sit not more than 200 yards apart. With little to no resistance, they then waltzed through their first-round matches with the ease you expect from two men who have 25 Grand Slam singles titles between them.

Rafael Nadal wore his usual, scowling game face and was all business during his brisk, utterly dominant win against Australia’s hulking Sam Groth. And Novak Djokovic blazed to a straight-sets win over Yen-Hsun Lu of Taipei, then spoke to the Philippe Chatrier crowd in French during his postmatch talk and left everyone charmed, as usual.

It was hardly indicative of the stiffer tests that should lay ahead for both men. But until someone else rises up here and makes a compelling case otherwise, the collision course Nadal and Djokovic are on to meet in the French Open semifinals will be the day-in, day-out running narrative of this tournament.

Rafael Nadal committed only three unforced errors in his opening-round win at the French Open. Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images

It is the storyline that has the potential to overshadow everything else, be it Serena Williams’ historic attempt to tie Steffi Graf for the most major titles (22) in the Open era or the days-long tabloid drama about whether second-seeded Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresmo, a huge hero in here in her native France, did or didn’t part ways on good terms as player and coach last month.

Nothing else here comes close to Djokovic versus Nadal for intrigue and star power, sentimental journeys and suspense.

The top-ranked Djokovic has won five of the past seven Grand Slam tournaments played, but for his career, he’s 0-for-3 in French Open finals, losing a stunner last season to Stan Wawrinka that left him …

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