The dream matchup has been set, even if it might be only the semifinal. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will renew their rivalry in the Grand Slams when the much-vaunted duo faceoff in the last-four match of the French Open in what promises to be a humdinger.
Djokovic has had Nadal's number for a while now and the Serbian will look to the win in the finals at Monte Carlo - on the clay courts - to instil the belief that the "King of Clay" can indeed be beaten.
"I know the game plan," Djokovic said. "I'm going to be confident and step into the court with self-belief. I'm going to win -- that's the mindset.
"I played a fantastic match in Monte Carlo. I know what it takes to win against him."
However, Nadal, a seven-time French Open champion, is not too concerned by that loss in April, having won three tournaments on the bounce since then and the Spaniard just wants to carry on what he does best - win matches on clay, particularly Roland Garros.
"When I play here we're going to play here in Roland Garros, we're not in Monte Carlo," Nadal said after quarterfinal win over Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. "This court, and the feeling to play this court, is always a little bit different.
"I know he's going to play well too because he's the best today, and I hope to play well here. But the deeper I go the better I play usually. It's always been the case.
"It's the same this year. It's the same old story. I played well during the Round of 16 and had a nice quarterfinals match."
The two players met in the finals here last year, with Nadal just about prevailing over the Serbian, who has only gone from strength to strength since then.
Djokovic is determined to win his first French Open title and with it complete a career Grand Slam, with some pundits even tipping the world number one to beat Nadal in the semifinals.
But, Nadal could not care less what other people think of the match, and who is being tipped as the favorite to win the epic semifinal.
"I don't give a damn about it," Nadal said. "I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if I'm favoured or not.
"These are words that will be carried away by the wind. What will stay is my tennis, my match, and who is going to win the match. That's reality. But the rest is speculation beforehand."
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