The draw, carried out on Friday, placed them both in the same half of the table.

It is also that of the rising star of the circuit, Carlos Alcaraz, a fresh resident of the top 10, at only 18 years old, after his victory in Barcelona a week ago.

Nadal, whose last match dates back to March 20 - a lost final at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells against American Taylor Fritz the day after his rib injury - will take his first steps on Wednesday, the day after Djokovic and Alcaraz , announced on Tuesday.

How does the Spaniard approach the tournament, he who repeated the day before that he arrived "very just" on Spanish television, from the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium where he kicked off and watched the match of the title of Real Madrid, his favorite club?

"The injury didn't allow me to do practically anything, I couldn't hit any shots, it was totally disabling on everyone", explains "Rafa", who took over the racket a dozen days ago but only serves for a day or two.

The Spaniard Rafael Nadal serves against the American Taylor Fritz, during the final of the Indian Wells tournament, on March 20, 2022 in California Frederic J. BROWN AFP / Archives

"Very badly fallen"

"I still have ups and downs, it's going to be a difficult week, that's the reality", assumes the current world N.4, hoping for "moments of good play".

"If I could win just one match, that would be fantastic," he added, placing "the goal on the weeks to come".

"It was an important stoppage, which fell very badly in the season", considers the Mallorcan, deprived of Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, ​​but "compared to Paris, I think I am on time" .

Nadal, the only Grand Slam trophy record holder since his 21st crown in Australia at the start of the season, will compete either against in-form Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic or against Kazakh Alexander Bublik.

After the incredible soap opera of his expulsion from Australia in January and his first quarter without a tournament or almost (three matches in Dubai in February), for lack of vaccination against Covid-19, Djokovic is seeking to resume the demanding rhythm of the circuit .

In Monte-Carlo in mid-April, the world No.1 sank from the start, against Alejandro Davidovich (6-3, 6-7, 6-1).

Serbian Novak Djokovic, during his defeat against Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich, in the 1st round of the Monte-Carlo tournament, April 12, 2022 Valery HACHE AFP / Archives

In Belgrade the following week, he made it to the final, at the cost of three matches in straight sets, but again ran out of steam.

This allowed world No.8 Andrey Rublev to inflict a 6-0 on him in the third set of the final.

Djokovic-Monfils to start?

A stroke of fatigue "similar to that of Monte-Carlo" that "Djoko" explained by the effects of a "disease which affected his metabolism for several weeks", without specifying the diagnosis.

"I have to be patient," he knows.

If he recognizes that "the lack of a match affects (his) ability to play at a certain level", he says he has "focused on the physical and the endurance" in training in recent days and appreciates have "visibility on (its) programming" for at least three months, until Wimbledon.

Serbian Novak Djokovic, during his Serbian Open final, lost to Russian Andrey Rublev, on April 24, 2022 in Belgrade Pedja MILOSAVLJEVIC AFP / Archives

From the outset on Madrid soil, a duel with Gaël Monfils is looming for the Serb (17-0 for Djokovic), provided that the Frenchman dismisses the Spanish guest Carlos Gimeno in the first round.

Next ?

On paper, Denis Shapovalov (16th), or the winner of the shock of the first round between two ghosts, Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem.

Frenchman Gaël Monfils, in his round of 16 against Swiss Roger Federer, on May 9, 2019 at the Madrid OSCAR DEL POZO tournament AFP / Archives

In addition to Monfils (21st), three other French people are on the starting line: Benoît Paire, who got out of qualifying, Ugo Humbert, drafted, and Lucas Pouille, guest.

In the women's draw, started on Thursday and deprived of the world N.1 Iga Swiatek and the N.3 Barbora Krejcikova, winners of the last two editions of Roland-Garros, the world N.2 and N.4 have already disappeared, Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka, also defending champion.

As well as Naomi Osaka, eliminated in the second round, painful Achilles tendon.

To follow in particular, the course of the ex-world No.1 Simona Halep, for her first tournament under the supervision of Patrick Mouratoglou, and already a faller of Badosa.

© 2022 AFP