Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal remain on French Open collision course

Novak Djokovic (left) and Rafael Nadal are on course to meet in Paris (Andrew Medichini/Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 13-time king of clay Rafael Nadal remain on course for a box-office French Open quarter-final after blowing away their third-round opponents.

Lying in wait for each other in the same quarter of the draw due to Nadal’s world ranking of fifth, the big two are due to collide unusually early at Roland Garros this year.