Novak Djokovic (SRB) in action during his match against Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) on day 13 at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
(Reuters): A look at the key facts and records of Serbian Novak Djokovic and Spaniard Rafa Nadal ahead of their title clash at the French Open on Sunday (prefix number denotes seeding):
1-NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Age: 33
ATP ranking: 1 (Highest: 1)
Grand Slam titles: 17 (Australian Open 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020; French Open 2016; Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019; U.S. Open 2011, 2015, 2018)
Career ATP titles: 81
2019 French Open performance: Semi-final
Best French Open performance: Winner (2016)
ROAD TO FINAL
First round: Mikael Ymer (Sweden) 6-0 6-2 6-3
Second round: Ricardas Berankis (Lithuania) 6-1 6-2 6-2
Third round: Daniel Elahi Galan Riveros (Colombia) 6-0 6-3 6-2
Fourth round: 15-Karen Khachanov (Russia) 6-4 6-3 6-3
Quarter-finals: 17-Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain) 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-4
Semi-finals: 5-Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) 6-3 6-2 5-7 4-6 6-1
The top-ranked Serb suffered a major scare when he let a two-set lead slip against Tsitsipas but he steadied the ship to seal a spot in his 27th Grand Slam final.
Djokovic, who is bidding to become only the third male player to win all four Grand Slams twice, leads the head-to-head against Nadal 29-26 and is one of just two players to have defeated the Spaniard on the Parisian clay.
Victory on Sunday would give Djokovic an 18th Grand Slam, leaving him one behind Nadal and two shy of Roger Federer.
2-RAFA NADAL
Age: 34
ATP ranking: 2 (Highest ranking: 1)
Grand Slam titles: 19 (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; U.S. Open 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
Career ATP titles: 85
2019 French Open performance: Winner
Best French Open performance: Winner (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019)
ROAD TO FINAL
First round: Egor Gerasimov (Belarus) 6-4 6-4 6-2
Second round: Mackenzie McDonald (U.S.) 6-1 6-0 6-3
Third round: Stefano Travaglia (Italy) 6-1 6-4 6-0
Fourth round: Sebastian Korda (U.S.) 6-1 6-1 6-2
Quarter-finals: Jannik Sinner (Italy) 7-6(4) 6-4 6-1
Semi-finals: 12-Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) 6-3 6-3 7-6(0)
Nadal marched into his 13th French Open final by defeating Schwartzman in straight sets. The Spaniard has not dropped a set en route to the final -- a feat he last achieved in 2017.
The world number two has beaten Djokovic in six of their seven clashes at Roland Garros, including the 2012 and 2014 finals, but lost their most recent meeting in the 2015 quarter-finals.
A victory for Nadal would improve his win-loss record at Roland Garros to 100-2 and ensure a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Djokovic leads 29-26 (3-2 in their last five meetings)
2020 Djokovic d Nadal 6-2 7-6(4) (ATP Cup, hard)
2019 Nadal d Djokovic 6-0 4-6 6-1 (Rome, clay)
2019 Djokovic d Nadal 6-3 6-2 6-3 (Australian Open, hard)
2018 Djokovic d Nadal 6-4 3-6 7-6(9) 3-6 10-8 (Wimbledon, grass)
2018 Nadal d Djokovic 7-6(4) 6-3 (Rome, clay)
