Nadal Continues Majestic Return to Roland Garros for Spain

Rafael Nadal of Team Spain celebrates after winning match point against Marton Fucsovics of Team Hungary during the Men’s Singles first round match on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros in Paris, France, on July 28, 2024. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

PARIS—Spain’s Rafa Nadal continued his triumphant return to Roland Garros on Sunday as he blasted his way into the second round of the Olympic tennis tournament, and set up a blockbuster clash with nemesis Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

That the Nadal-Djokovic clash on Monday will not determine gold was the only slip in the Olympic script as the Spaniard found a second wind on a Roland Garros stage on which he has built his legend, to beat Marton Fucsovics 6–1, 4–6, 6–4.