PARIS — The French Open quarterfinal long believed to be automatic was the last one to be confirmed Monday night.
But there was no altering this collision course. Rafael Nadal, the nine-time French Open champion, will indeed face top-ranked Novak Djokovic on Wednesday.
That heavyweight bout — a final of sorts before the final — is scheduled to be played on Nadal’s 29th birthday, and he presumably will need to be at or near his best to keep it a festive occasion.
“Novak today is the best player in the world,” Nadal said.