Will Djokovic win second 'Nole Slam'?

Nick McCarvel, a presenter on our Live at Roland-Garros web show, writes daily about a hot topic discussed on the previous night's program. You can join the discussion on Twitter @rolandgarros, and tune in nightly from 7pm Paris time on our Facebook, YouTube and official app to see how The Daily Question shakes out.

It’s been a discussion swirling around tennis for much of the last six weeks: Can Novak Djokovic win Roland-Garros for a second time, and, in turn, capture a never-done-before feat in holding all major titles twice?

Eight days into Roland-Garros, the debate is only heating up.

Many think that only one man – Rafael Nadal – can stand in Nole’s way. If that’s the truth, then we are set for a spectacular final to be played out next Sunday afternoon on Court Philippe Chatrier, but it’s never that simple, is it?

Hence the debate last night on Live at Roland-Garros: Will Novak Djokovic win a second ‘Nole Slam’?

He did it back in 2016, when he finally, at long last, won his maiden title in Paris. Three years later, it’s nearly unthinkable that he’s close to completing the same feat a second time. No other man has ever done as much.

Usually I save the social media numbers (as we do on the show) for last, but let’s start there, because they’re indicative of just how fierce this debate is. Of nearly 21,000 votes across our Twitter and Instagram accounts, 55% of fans voted that “Yes,” he will indeed win Roland-Garros to complete a second sweep of the majors in his career.

At the outset of Roland-Garros, Djokovic himself said that his team, captained by coach Marian Vajda, had turned the focus to the majors at this point in his career, with the Serb turning 32 on 22 May.

“At this stage of my career, (the majors) are the ones that matter the most for me,” the world No.1 said. “(They) are the tournaments where I want to play my best. … We set up a strategy to peak at the Grand Slams.”

Peak Nole, as we all know, is lethal Nole. He next meets big-hitting Germand Jan-Lennard Struff in the fourth round - who survived an epic five-setter vs. Borna Coric on Saturday - then potentially Alexander Zverev or Fabio Fognini in the final eight.

Watch the full discussion with the 'Live at Roland-Garros' team below:

The likes of Dominic Thiem, Juan Martin Del Potro, Gael Monfils or Karen Khachanov in the semifinals.

And that’s all just to get to the championship bout, where we assume Nadal could be looming.

“I think Rafa is peaking at the right time, but I think it’s more than possible that (Novak is) able to do it,” former top-10 star and fellow Serbian Janko Tipsarevic told our field reporter, Eli Weinstein. “He’s been getting overlooked. In short, yes he can.”

Added coach Vajda: “We will be wiser after the tournament.”

We all will be wiser, really. But will Novak be the holder of all four majors – once again! – come a week from this afternoon? That’s what we’ll all have to wait and see about.

Vote in today’s discussion on our Twitter and Instagram. The questions is: Will the women's winner at RG19 be a first-time major winner? Don’t forget to tune in live from 7pm Paris time to find out the results - and to join in on the debate.