For an hour, it looked nothing like what people had hoped for.

Novak Djokovic was cruising against Rafael Nadal, who was a shadow of his former self as he hauled his body through one last challenge.

At 6-1, 4-0 up, Djokovic on his way into the third round.

Then? Boom.

The crowd — consigned to the belief that the match was over — was on its feet, roaring in delight at the slow-burn classic developing in front of its eyes.

Nadal was up and about, the 38-year-old displaying the enthusiasm and belligerence of the new guard.

For five brilliant games in the second set, everything had changed.

A 60-match rivalry like no other

June 2006, was a seismic period for the nation of Serbia.

It was on June 3 that Montenegro formally declared its independence, one of the final pieces to break away from the disintegrated former state of Yugoslavia.

Far less importantly, but just days later, an unseeded Serbian tennis player met the defending French Open champion in a quarterfinal on the red clay of Roland-Garros.

It was an inauspicious appearance for the fledgling Serb, who retired injured after losing the first two sets 6-4, 6-4.

Who could have possibly foreseen that some 18 years later, those two players would be back here for the 60th time in their dominant careers, in a contest that was one of the most eagerly anticipated of the Games.

Djokovic won this one 6-1, 6-4, sealing the result with an ace as he saw off a furious Nadal comeback that had Court Phillippe-Chatrier rocking to its sparkling foundations.

This is a rivalry that has gone full circle, from the tallest peaks to the lowest canyons, encircling the globe countless times, being played out on courts at all four corners of the world.

Of course there is no doubt who holds status as the fan favourite in this part of the tennis world.

The roar that greeted Nadal's presentation to the court was befitting that of a champion, although it was almost matched by that of world number two Djokovic, such is the respect he has earned.

But nowhere is Nadal more revered than at Roland-Garros, a place he has won a record 14 singles titles, losing just four matches out of 116 played.

The Spaniard's record highlights an incomparable level of brilliance in an era where three of the greatest players of all time have regularly battled out for the majors.

This is the 11th time this pair have met on the famous clay at the home of the French Open but the first since Nadal's quarterfinal victory in 2022.

But in the unfamiliar territory of the second-round match — never before have these two met earlier than a quarterfinal, apart from in tournaments with round-robin phases — this may well be the last time we will ever see these two warriors crossing racquets in a competitive contest.

The end of an era

Over the past two decades there has not been a tougher assignment in sport than meeting Nadal on clay, especially at his home away from home.

But these are different times, with Nadal ranked 161st in the world.

"[We are in] different situations in our careers," Nadal said after his battling three-set performance against Márton Fucsovics in the first round.

"He's coming from being in the final of a grand slam, and I'm coming without being very competitive in the last two years. 

"Let's see, it's in a special place. I'm just going to try to give my best and enjoy it as much as possible.

"I'm more unpredictable now, but I always have hope, I always believe and I want to give my best."

There was not a spare seat in the house for this historic moment, a crowd filled more in hope than expectation that they would bear witness to another classic chapter to close this novel of a rivalry.

There is a quote from Roland Garros, the pioneering French aviator after whom the entire complex is named, adorning the break between tiers either side of the Court Phillippe-Chatrier.

"La victoire appartient au plus opiniâtre," which translates to "victory belongs to the most tenacious".

It's a saying that sums up the way Nadal played for years.

Going 40-0 down in the opening game, Nadal roared back to deuce, each point bringing with it a cheer of increasing ferocity, as if the crowd knew their favourite and his his ailing body needed everything that they could give him. 

At 0-30 down in his first service game the same thing happened, the cheers raising their intensity as Nadal seemingly found that familiar grove on the clay surface he made his own.

The first chant of "Rafa!" cascaded from the precipitous stands came as he pulled things back to 30-30, with some vintage shots from vintage men drawing thrilled gasps from the crowd.

But Nadal lost that game too, broken for the first of two times in that set and 4-0 down in the blink of an eye.

Because while Nadal's best years are a long way behind him, Djokovic is still at the level where he can reach the finals of majors.

Nadal, whose 38-year-old body is betraying its user with crushing regularity — the latest issue is a troublesome right thigh, heavily strapped — has played just 18 matches all year, including this won, winning 11.

It took 35 minutes and six games for Nadal to get on the board, a feat that earned him a standing ovation.