Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer continued on a collision course towards the Monte Carlo Masters final after easily winning their third round matches in contrasting conditions on Thursday.
Rafael Nadal's hopes of winning the year-ending ATP Finals for the first time live on after the Spaniard beat defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on Thursday.
Friday's showdown will be the 40th meeting between the duo with Rafael Nadal leading 24-15 and 10-3 in Grand Slams.
Rafael Nadal beat Richard Gasquet 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the exhibition game in Kuala Lumpur.
Rafael Nadal will be pose a significant Grand Slam threat again next year after showing signs of returning to his best, according to two of the Spaniard's greatest rivals.
'To be part of Team Europe together is great and if we're able to possibly share the court one more time as a doubles pairing then this would be a truly special experience for us both at this stage in our careers.'
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal take to Rod Laver Arena to reprise one of the great sporting rivalries of the modern age on Sunday, a fitting climax to an Australian Open which has sent tennis back to the future.
Rafael Nadal won his eighth Barcelona Open title in nine years with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fellow Spaniard and fourth seed Nicolas Almagro on Sunday.
IMAGES from the Australian Open final played on Sunday
Rafael Nadal suffered a shock 7-5, 6-3 defeat by Austrian Dominic Thiem in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Friday, a result that means the Spaniard will lose the world number one ranking.
Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud in the French Open final to win a men's record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title.
Nadal pulled off his greatest escape to deny Daniil Medvedev again, less than three years after leaving the Russian heartbroken in five sets at the 2019 US Open final.
'And that was what I missed the most when I saw Nadal play in Delhi, the banter with my mom, because she's gone and I won't get to share that moment with her.' 'Superfan' Roshneesh Kmaneck on watching Rafa in person.
Rafael Nadal shrugged off his derailed bid for the Grand Slam record with a pledge to keep "fighting" but the Spaniard leaves the Australian Open with familiar regrets after bowing out to a rising talent on Wednesday.
Rafael Nadal beat fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya to enter the French Open semi-finals.
Roger Ferdrer came up with a solid all-round display to beat world No 1 Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-3 in the final and win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal extended his record claycourt winning streak to 63 matches with a victory over Juan Ignacio Chela in Monte Carlo.
Zverev twisted his ankle as he tried to retrieve a shot in the 12th game of the second set
Defending champion Rafael Nadal remains on course for an 11th Monte Carlo Masters title after beating Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Rafael Nadal fired down 10 aces en route to a 6-3, 7-6 win over Arnaud Clement in the Pacific Life Open second round.
Bulgarian's Grigor Dimitrov claimed a first career win over former world number one Rafael Nadal at the eighth time of asking to reach the semi-finals of the China Open on Friday.
David Ferrer knocked out sixth seeded Serb Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-4 in the third round.
Rafael Nadal's long winning run was halted by fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez at Queen's Club on Friday when he lost 7-6 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
Jannik Sinner had to dig deep to get the better of Auger-Aliassime in the second semi-final.
Rafael Nadal left no doubt that he would be the overwhelming favourite at next month's French Open after crushing Spanish compatriot David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals on Saturday. World number 12 and fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco will be the last man standing in Nadal's way to a record sixth consecutive title in the glitzy principality after he demolished top seed Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2.
Rafael Nadal held off a stirring fightback from David Ferrer to beat his fellow Spaniard 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 on Sunday and become the first man to win the Barcelona Open in four consecutive years.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz sailed into the Paris Masters third round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka but Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev both slumped to surprise losses on Wednesday.
Argentine Gaston Gaudio made a comfortable start to his French Open title defence by beating Frenchman Julien Benneteau 7-5, 6-0, 6-1 on Monday.
The Spaniard's revival continued with an enthralling 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Argentine Gaston Gaudio to earn a place in the semis of the Barcelona Open.
Rafael Nadal was upset by Tomas Berdych and Roger Federer survived a scare in the Toronto Masters third round.
Rafael Nadal, who was out of competitive action for over six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was at pains to point out that not everything was as easy as it looks.
Rafael Nadal, like Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, is a great believer in mutual respect. The leading quartet on the men's circuit do not indulge in slanging matches.
Rafael Nadal dug deep to beat mercurial wildcard Nick Kyrgios 7-6(0), 5-7, 6-4 in a blockbuster quarter-final match that lived up to the hype at Indian Wells on Thursday.
Robin Soderling is unlikely to be on Rafael Nadal's Christmas card list this year after once again getting under the Spaniard's skin at the ATP World Tour Finals.
"At this point of the season for me, every victory is important, every title means a lot to me. This is not confidence for Wimbledon, this is an important victory for me and I'm happy for that today.
"At this point of the season for me, every victory is important, every title means a lot to me. This is not confidence for Wimbledon, this is an important victory for me and I'm happy for that today.
Rafael Nadal beat Andy Murray 7-6, 6-3 to set up a Toronto Masters final against resurgent German Nicolas Kiefer.
Novak Djokovic said his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz was becoming like the one he shared with the Spaniard's compatriot, Rafa Nadal, after needing nearly four hours to outlast the 20-year-old world number one in an epic Cincinnati Open final on Sunday.
