Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are facing each other for the 50th time in their careers Reuters

KEY POINTS

  • Nadal has lost his last 7 encounters against Djokovic.
  • The duo are facing each other for the 50th time.

Rafael Nadal takes on Novak Djokovic in the men's singles semi-finals in the Madrid Masters on Saturday (13 May).

Where to watch live

Match starts at 3pm BST. Live coverage in the UK is on Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD. Click here for the live streaming link. Live scores and regular updates will be available on ATP's official website.

Overview

Nadal and Djokovic are preparing for their 50th encounter against each other with the Serb holding a slim advantage over his long-time rival. The Spaniard will go in as favourite when they face each other on Saturday evening in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open owing to his current form.

Nadal has won the last two tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona and has made five finals in 2017, while Djokovic is making it past the quarter-final stage of a tournament for the first time since his win at the Doha Open in January.

The 30-year-old Spaniard is playing at a high level, but is yet to be truly tested by the top players during his run on clay this season. Djokovic is also looking to get back to his best after months of struggling for from and a win over Nadal could go a long way in building his confidence going into the second Grand Slam of the year in Roland Garros at the end of the month.

The 14-time men's singles Grand Slam champion however will be keen to end his losing streak against Djokovic. Nadal has failed to beat his semi-final opponent in their last seven meetings with his last win coming in the finals of the French Open in 2014.

Betting odds (betfair)

  • Rafael Nadal to win: 4/9
  • Novak Djokovic to win: 9/5

Head-To-Head

The duo have faced each other 49 times in ATP Tennis history, with Djokovic holding a slim 26-23 advantage. They last took on each other in the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters in 2016 which the Serbian won in straight sets.

Madrid Masters History

Nadal and Djokovic have faced each other twice at the Madrid Masters in the past. Nadal won the encounter in the 2009 semi-finals, while Djokovic beat the Spaniard in the finals in 2011.