Italian Open 2024: Can Rafael Nadal face Novak Djokovic?

Rafael Nadal will face a qualifier in his first match, while Novak Djokovic starts his campaign with a bye.

The draw for the Italian Open 2024 has been released. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are set to miss the tournament, while Novak Djokovic has returned. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal will be playing in his last major tournament before the 2024 French Open.

The main draw in men’s tennis at the Italian Open 2024 will start on May 8. Tennis fans would expect to witness a fiery brawl between Djokovic and Nadal; however, the two tennis stars are drawn into entirely different quarters. As a result, they can only face each other if they manage to reach the final in Italy.

Rafael Nadal’s projected path to Italian Open 2024 final

Rafael Nadal will start his campaign against a qualifier in the first round. However, he will have a huge challenge ahead in the second round, as he will be up against ATP World No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz. In the third round, he can lock horns against Tomás Martín Etcheverry or Thiago Seyboth Wild, followed by a resounding potential fixture in the round of 16 against Sebastian Baez or Holger Rune.

Nadal’s route to the final is filled with tough opponents, as he can face Tommy Paul or Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals. In the semi-final, he can be up against Andrey Rublev or Stefanos Tsitsipas, and if he reaches the final, he might face Novak Djokovic, Alexender Zverev, or Casper Ruud.

Novak Djokovic’s projected path to the Italian Open 2024 final

Meanwhile, entering the Italian Open 2024 as the top seed, Novak Djokovic will get a bye in the first round. Most likely, he will lock horns against Russia’s Roman Safiullin in the first match. The Serb is expected to enjoy a relatively easy draw as he will be up against Alejandro Tabilo or Jakub Menšík in the round of 32.

Karen Khachanov or Francisco Cerundolo could be Djokovic’s fourth-round opponents in the 2024 Italian Open. Moreover, Casper Ruud or Ben Shelton can be his quarterfinal opponents in the ATP 1000 event. If Alexander Zverev plays well, he can meet Djokovic in the semi-final, and in the final, he can face Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, or Rafael Nadal.

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