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Nadal Outlasts Djokovic to Reach Final Nadal Outlasts Djokovic, Setting Up a Final With Ferrer
(about 2 hours later)
PARIS — It was only a semifinal and relegated to first on the Friday schedule, which meant that there were plenty of empty seats at the Philippe Chatrier court when Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic walked on court to play for the 35th time. PARIS — It was a mere semifinal, and it was even relegated to first on the Friday schedule, which meant that the French love affair with the leisurely lunch guaranteed there would be plenty of empty seats at the Philippe Chatrier court when Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic walked on the red clay to renew the best rivalry in tennis.
But by the time they finished chasing down each other’s bold strokes in the afternoon sunlight, there could be little doubt that this was the main event. But long before they finished chasing down each other’s bold strokes in the afternoon sunlight, it was clear that this match — the latest astonishing tennis match in a superrich era — was anything but an undercard.
It required 4 hours 37 minutes, but Nadal, the seven-time French Open champion, prevailed, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 9-7, over Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 player. The bout, a rematch of last year’s French Open final, required 4 hours 37 minutes, but Nadal, the seven-time French Open champion, prevailed, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 9-7, over Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 player.
The victory earned, truly earned, Nadal a chance to successfully defend his title Sunday against the winner of Friday’s second semifinal between the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the Spaniard David Ferrer. The grueling victory earned, truly earned, Nadal a chance to successfully defend his title Sunday against his fellow Spaniard David Ferrer, the fourth seed, who defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Tsonga’s nationality — and the big French television audience that goes with it — explains why his match with Ferrer was scheduled second. This will be the first Grand Slam final for Ferrer, 31, who has long dwelled and excelled deep in Nadal’s shadow at home and abroad.
The decision resulted in one of the greatest undercards in tennis as the two men who were long expected to duel for this title this year produced a match of brilliant defense and offense that thoroughly lived up to the expectations. Tsonga’s nationality — and the big French television audience that went along with it — explains why his match with Ferrer was scheduled second in the slot typically reserved for the main event.
Nadal, the 27-year-old from the Spanish island Majorca, has still lost just one match in his long career at Roland Garros. That came against Robin Soderling of Sweden in the fourth round in 2009. After holding off Nadal at the end of the fourth set and leading by a service break and 4-3 in the fifth set, Djokovic appeared poised to give Soderling company and himself a chance to win the only Grand Slam singles title he lacks. But there was nothing minor in key about the operatic duel between Nadal and Djokovic, supreme athletes who symbolize this golden age’s ability to transition from defense to offense and back to defense in the matter of a few heartbeats.
But Nadal is one of the game’s great competitors and champions. He broke Djokovic’s serve in the long, eventful eighth game of the fifth set to get back to 4-4then kept his cool and belief until finally breaking Djokovic’s serve at love to win the match. Nadal, the 27-year-old from the Spanish island Majorca, has lost just one match in his long career at Roland Garros. That came against Robin Soderling of Sweden in the fourth round in 2009. After holding off Nadal at the end of the fourth set and leading by a service break and 4-3 in the fifth set, Djokovic appeared poised to give Soderling company and himself a chance to win the only Slam singles title he lacks.
“It was an incredible match,” said Nadal, who is seeded third this year. “To play against Novak is always something unusual. We push each other to the limit.” But Nadal is one of the game’s great competitors and problem-solvers. Looking slightly fresher down the stretch, he broke Djokovic’s serve in the long, eventful eighth game of the final set to get back to 4-4, then kept his cool and belief until breaking Djokovic’s serve at love to win the match.
Nadal now leads 20-15 in their head-to-head rivalry, but he lost their most memorable match: the 2012 Australian Open final in five sets and 5 hours 53 minutes. “It was an incredible match,” Nadal said. “To play against Novak is always something unusual. We push each other to the limit.”
This match, in part because of the lopsided third set won by Nadal, never threatened the five-hour mark. But Friday’s match was still unquestionably epic. Nadal has long been the prohibitive favorite at Roland Garros, the tournament he has dominated like no other man. But he recently missed seven months of action with a left knee problem and then illness. He was forced to miss the Olympics and the United States Open last year and then the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament this year, before returning to the circuit in Viña del Mar, Chile, in February.
“He was the one who won in 2012 and today I had the good fortune to win,” Nadal said. “I’m so happy. I love to play in this atmosphere.” Toni Nadal, Nadal’s uncle and longtime coach, said he would never have imagined then that his nephew could be back in the French Open final.
“I know that this is very, very difficult for us to be here in the final when we have so many problems,” Toni Nadal said.
Asked at one stage if he considered it a miracle, Toni Nadal broke down in tears, halted the interview and retreated down the stairs leading to the main player locker room at Roland Garros.
He said Rafael Nadal had also teared up when they met after the match. “Yes, Rafal was very, very emotional,” Toni Nadal said.
But in truth, the doubts about Rafael Nadal’s competitiveness were resolved months ago. Since his return to the circuit, he has won six of eight tournaments, but he did lose to Djokovic in their only match during that span before Friday.
That loss came on red clay in April in the final at Monte Carlo, another tournament that Nadal has dominated through the years. But despite all his ability and all his motivation, the top-seeded Djokovic could not knock the third-seeded Nadal off his perch in Paris.
“It’s been an unbelievable match to be a part of, but all I can feel now is disappointment; that’s it,” Djokovic said. “I congratulate my opponent because he showed the courage in the right moments and went for his shots and, you know, when he was a break down in the fifth, he made some incredible shots from the baseline.
“I congratulate him because that’s why he’s a champion. That’s why he’s been ruling Roland Garros for many years, and for me it’s another year.”
Nadal now leads, 20-15, in their head-to-head rivalry, but Djokovic won their most memorable match: the 2012 Australian Open final, which went five sets, lasted 5 hours 53 minutes and left both men unable to stand at the awards ceremony.
Friday’s match, in part because of the lopsided third set, never threatened the five-hour mark. But it was still unquestionably epic.
“I gave my best; I really did,” Djokovic said. “I really tried to come back. The third set wasn’t great at all. I just dropped physically. He used it. I managed to come back and start playing really well as the match was going on, but it wasn’t good enough.”
There could be little complaint about the quality from those who watched the match, however. Paris has been a dark and dreary spot for most of this spring, but this was a warm, sunny day and the straw hats and bare shoulders were back on display.
The mood on the Roland Garros grounds was light, but the intensity on court was heavy from the start as Nadal and Djokovic matched speed against speed, strength against strength, defense on the full stretch against defense on the full stretch.
One might think that after more than 30 matches against each other the element of surprise would be gone. But they repeatedly left each other swinging in unexpected psychological pain or staring at a line with disbelief as they produced point-winning power from unlikely places.
It was only the second five-set match that Nadal has played at the French Open. He beat John Isner in five sets in the first round here in 2011. He beat Djokovic in last year’s final in four sets over two days.It was only the second five-set match that Nadal has played at the French Open. He beat John Isner in five sets in the first round here in 2011. He beat Djokovic in last year’s final in four sets over two days.
This time they met one round earlier, but whatever comes next will have a hard time matching the quality and suspense that Djokovic and Nadal generated Friday. This time their summit meeting came one round earlier, and the result is that Sunday’s final will now have a terribly hard time matching the quality and suspense that Djokovic and Nadal generated Friday.