Djokovic, Alcaraz, Swiatek cruise at Paris

‘If I face Nadal here, it's possibly going to be for the last time’, says Serbian champ

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz consoles Serbia's Novak Djokovic after winning the men's singles final. PHOTO: REUTERS

PARIS:

Novak Djokovic set-up a potential Olympic Games blockbuster with Rafael Nadal on Saturday as Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek made winning returns to a rain-swept Roland Garros where they were crowned French Open champions last month.

Djokovic, chasing a first Olympic gold to add to his 24 Grand Slams, brushed aside Australia's Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1 in just 53 minutes under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.

Alcaraz, fresh from defeating Djokovic in the Wimbledon final two weeks ago, eased past Hady Habib of Lebanon while Swiatek enjoyed a straight-sets win against Irina Camelia-Begu.

Nadal, who has been carrying a thigh strain, will take on Djokovic for the 60th time if he gets past Marton Fucsovics of Hungary on Sunday.

"His record at Roland Garros speaks for itself," said Djokovic of potentially facing Nadal.

"If we face each other, it's possibly going to be for the last time."

On Saturday, Djokovic was barely pushed by 36-year-old Ebden, who only made the tournament as an alternate after a series of injury pullouts.

Djokovic needed just 24 minutes to wrap up the first set and was 4-0 up in the second before the Australian won a game.

Swiatek, who only made the second round on her Olympics debut in Tokyo three years ago, will face either Diane Parry of France or Argentina's Nadia Podoroska for a place in the last 16.

Italy's Jasmine Paolini, easily defeated by Swiatek in the French Open final, also made the second round with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Romania's Ana Bogdan.

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