"The King of Clay" has fallen.
In their 60th and potentially last battle, Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets to reach the third round of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The defeat marks Nadal's fifth career loss at Roland Garros (113-5) and third to Djokovic, whose hopes of an elusive first-career Olympic gold medal are still very much alive.
The head-to-head battle on the clay-court surface has historically been in Nadal's favor, though injury setbacks have resulted in immense struggles and a loss of top form for the Spaniard, who has competed in just two Grand Slams since the 2022 US Open.