French Open: Novak Djokovic through to quarter-finals with potential clash against Rafael Nadal | Tennis News

Novak Djokovic booed as he walked onto court, but world No 1 dismisses Diego Schwartzman and is now on a collision course with 13-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals

Novak Djokovic cantered into the French Open last eight, with a clash against Rafael Nadal looming large

Novak Djokovic showed glimpses of his brilliant best to demolish Diego Schwartzman and book his place in the French Open quarter-finals where he could face 13-time champion Rafael Nadal.

The defending champion and world No 1 made it through to his 52nd Grand Slam quarter-final without the minimum of fuss, easing past Argentina’s Schwartzman 6-1 6-3 6-3 in two and a quarter hours.

Schwartzman was clearly being backed by a large South American and Spanish contingent on Court Suzanne Lenglen with Djokovic booed as he walked on to court.

By the third set, Djokovic cupped his ear at a strangely-hostile crowd as he marched towards victory.

“I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a good guy on and off the court and he’s a clay-court specialist so it’s not easy especially in slow conditions today with a ball that was not bouncing high,” said Djokovic of Schwartzman, a semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2020.

“I found the good serves at the right moments.”

Djokovic, back on the Grand Slam scene after being barred by local authorities from playing at the Australian Open over his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, was barely threatened by the diminutive Schwartzman as he reached the last eight here for the 13th year in a row.

If Nadal wins his fourth-round match against Felix Auger-Aliassime later, the two long-time rivals would meet each other in the quarter-finals.

It would be the 59th head-to-head matchup between Djokovic and Nadal, more than any other two men in the professional era of tennis.

Djokovic leads Nadal 30-28 in their 58 previous meetings.

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