Nadal v Djokovic ... and it’s only the quarter-finals

what we do. You have to accept it. I’ve won many tournaments and matches this year and still haven’t lost on clay courts. It’s a big quarter-finals and I couldn’t ask for a better lead-up to that match.”

Nadal’s rankings slide to No.7 and the tournament’s inane unwillingness to seed on claycourt performance exposed the Spaniard to a higher seed in the quarter-finals.

Failure to tweak the seedings has cost the Open far more since one of the modern greats will lose too soon.

Seeded sixth, Nadal grinned broadly when the subject of facing Djokovic was broached.

“Now we can talk,” the Spaniard said after overcoming American Jack Sock in four sets. “It’s probably the toughest quarter-final in my career here in Roland Garros, without a doubt.

“It’s not the finals, it’s the quarter-finals. The winner of that match will not be the Roland Garros champion. He will be a semi-finalist.”

If the excitement around the match is electric, the statistics are colossal. The pair will clash tonight for the 44th time overall and the seventh time at Roland Garros, where Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Djokovic is yet to lower Nadal’s colours.

In the decade Nadal has competed on clay in Paris, only Robin Soderling has managed that feat – in 2009, when the Spaniard carried knee injuries into battle.

In six of Nadal’s previous 10 campaigns, Djokovic has crossed swords with the Mallorcan six times. And lost six times.

The pair has met here in two finals, three semi-finals and a quarter-final dating back to 2006.

Adding further currency to the high-stakes encounter is that the French title is the only major missing from Djokovic’s mantelpiece.

While Nadal holds a significant 9-3 advantage in grand slam meetings, Djokovic has won six of the past seven matches at ATP and grand slam level.

Crucially, Nadal’s struggles on clay in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome this season contrasted with Djokovic’s perfect record – two starts for titles in Monte Carlo and Rome.

The winner will face either Andy Murray or David Ferrer.

Murray will play his 17th consecutive grand slam quarter-final, a remarkable streak lost against the achievements of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer.

“Unfortunately I’m playing against guys that make some of the things I have done look pretty average because of how good they have been,” Murray said.

“Roger went through a period where he was making grand slam finals pretty much consistently, then he had that semi-final streak (a record 23 in a row). Then, obviously his quarter-final streak (36).

“In comparison to that, it’s nothing. But in terms of the history of the game, there are not loads of players that have been that consistent at these events ... so that’s something I’m very, very proud of.”