Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic close in on French Open semi-final blockbuster

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic will set up a French Open semi-final blockbuster if they get through their last-eight clashes on Tuesday.

Djokovic the master of Thiem

Novak Djokovic hopes his fledgling partnership Andre Agassi can inspire the Serb back to his very best. Agassi has left Paris already, but the defending champion is firmly in the hunt for a 13th grand slam title. Aside from a third-round wobble against Diego Schwartzman, it’s largely been plain sailing for Djokovic to this stage.

Dominic Thiem remains the only player to beat Rafael Nadal on clay this season, but the Austrian’s shock win at the Rome Masters was swiftly followed by a 6-1, 6-0 humiliation against Djokovic.

The 30-year-old has dropped just one set in five meetings with Thiem and brushed aside the Austrian with ease in last year’s Roland Garros semi-finals. Thiem has motored through the first four rounds to reach just his second grand slam quarter-final, but the challenge is about to get much tougher for one of the game’s rising stars.

Head-to-head

Djokovic leads 5-0

Thiem says: “I have to change something compared to the last matches. I will talk to my coach, to my team. Then maybe change something up and hope that I play a good match on Tuesday.”