Rafael Nadal has a knack for bouncing back stronger than ever after being underestimated. Back in 2022, he was not the favorite to win any tournament, let alone two Grand Slam. Why? The Spaniard was battling numerous injuries, hence, his fitness put a big question mark on his fate at the majors. However, he came out of the woods with remarkable strength, and first, he claimed his 2nd Australian Open title in almost 23 years, before going on the mission to take back his crown at the Clay. However, it wasn’t an easy run, and the bookies made the mistake of doubting the King of Clay on the turf which is home to him. And it seems they are doing it again, against the same opponent.

After successfully getting past their R1 opponents, two legends are about to clash for a record 60th time on the Clay courts of Paris. And while Novak Djokovic is the “favorite” to win the tournament, bettors have seriously discounted the 14-time Clay court champion very short. They have put the odds in favor of Djokovic over 80%. Perhaps the bookies took into consideration Nadal’s recent early exit on these same courts in French Open. Given the potential psychological impact of that loss, his performance this time around could either be a triumphant redemption or a painful reminder. A tennis Media/Blogger account highlighted this on X, sharing the bookies’ predictions:

Why could it be a massive blunder? Traveling back in time to 2022, at the French Open quarterfinals. Bookies made a similar bet in favor of the Serbian ace, probably due to fitness and his consistency in the Grand Slam. But Nadal came out on the top to pave his path to the record 14th Clay title. And after the R1 exit at the Roland Garros 2024, Nadal would love to stay on the clay for as long as possible!

Djokovic and Nadal have locked horns 59 times, with Djokovic holding a slim advantage. Their most recent battle was a Nadal victory in the 2022 French Open quarterfinals, marking the Spaniard’s third win in their last four encounters. However, their rivalry has been on ice for over two years. Djokovic is the clear favorite due to Nadal’s significant decline in recent years. Although age has taken a toll on the Spaniard, his recent resurgence has injected a level of unpredictability into this match.

While he’s undoubtedly a shadow of his former dominant self, his run to the Swedish Open final suggests he might still have one last heroic chapter left to write in his illustrious career. This promises to be a classic battle between experience, resilience, and sheer willpower. However, being the calculated and composed player he is, Nadal accepts that Djokovic is the favorite to win the tournament.

Nadal’s humble realization before the epic clash against Djokovic

There are a lot of reasons for the bettors to place odds in favor of Djokovic. It starts with his speedy recovery from the surgery and still making it to the finals of the Grand Slams. That might have been the finest comebacks after going under the knife in tennis. While Nadal has several fitness issues to take care off, latest indicator being the thigh bandage poking everyone’s heart with concern. Moreover, Djokovic’s consistency at the age of 37 is mind blowing, the Serbian is standing life a hefty wall in the way of youngsters.

There might be more reasons, but these are as clear as day as why Djokovic is the favorite. And maybe that’s why Nadal also acknowledged his Big 3 teammate’s strength. “Probably, he is the clear favorite,” Nadal admitted. Djokovic has spent more time in the competitive arena than the Spaniard. And this makes for another reason for Djokovic’s favoritism among the betters.

In just a few hours, the results of “who will win the 60th clash of the legends?” would be in front of everyone. Will it prove to be a costly gamble that would culminate into a high rewards with high risk?