When can Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz meet at the French Open 2024? Checking out when the highly anticipated showdown will materialize in Paris

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, along with the rest of the field, learned their fates on Thursday, May 23, as the French Open draws were unveiled. The two of them have been placed on opposite sides of the draw, and cannot face each other prior to the final.

Nadal has landed in the top half of the draw, which also features his arch-rival Novak Djokovic. The two legends could meet in the semifinals but for that to happen, the Spaniard will need to get past Alexander Zverev in the first round. However, if he does cross the first hurdle, he's got a relatively easy draw until the quarterfinals.

The 22-time Major champion won't have the time to ease into the draw as he is dealing with an in-form opponent right off the bat. Zverev recently won the Italian Open and has a great record at the French Open, reaching the semifinals every year since 2021.

The last time these two faced off was also in the semifinals of the French Open, during which Zverev sustained a major injury and retired halfway through the match. He went toe-to-toe with the Spaniard back then, and the outcome could be a lot different this time.

Alcaraz's own injury issues have prevented him from competing during the clay swing. He participated in just one tournament, the Madrid Open, where he was eliminated by Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. However, the young Spaniard seems to have recovered in time for the French Open.

Alcaraz has been placed in the bottom half of the draw and unlike Nadal, has time to play himself into form. He will start against a qualifier or a lucky loser and will know his opponent once the qualifying rounds conclude on Friday (May 24). While a meeting between the two Spaniards is high on everyone's list, fans will have to wait until the end for that to happen.

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Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz haven't crossed paths at a Grand Slam so far

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal at the 2022 Madrid Open. (Photo: Getty)

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz have locked horns thrice so far but never at a Major. All three of their previous encounters have been at the Masters 1000 level. The 22-time Major champion easily outplayed his younger countryman when they first met at the 2021 Madrid Open, winning 6-1, 6-2.

It wasn't that easy the next time but Nadal dug deep to keep Alcaraz at bay at the 2022 Indian Wells Masters with a three-set victory. The third time was indeed the charm for the latter as he scored his first win over his illustrious rival en route to the Madrid Open title later that year.

It has been more than two years since they last faced off. Their rivalry would seem incomplete if they didn't meet at a Major at least once, so here's hoping that ends up happening in Paris.