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A Timeless Epic Takes 4 Hours 37 Minutes A Timeless Epic Takes 4 Hours 37 Minutes
(34 minutes later)
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. PARIS — It was a mere semifinal, and it was even relegated to the first slot 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 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. 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 this remarkable era — was anything but an undercard.
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 rematch of last year’s French Open final required 4 hours 37 minutes, and 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 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. “These kind of matches make the sport big,” Nadal said. “I lost similar one in Australia. Today was for me.”
The grueling victory earned, truly earned, Nadal a chance to retain 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.
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.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.
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.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.
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 there was nothing minor in key about the operatic duel between Nadal and Djokovic, supreme athletes who symbolize this golden age with their ability to transition from defense to offense and back to defense in the matter of a few heartbeats.
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. Nadal, the 27-year-old from 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.
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. 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.
“It was an incredible match,” Nadal said. “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 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.
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.“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.”“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. Nadal recently missed seven months of action with injuries, returning to the circuit only in February.
Friday’s match, in part because of the lopsided third set, never threatened the five-hour mark. But it was still unquestionably epic. 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.
“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.” Asked about his nephew’s knee problems, Toni Nadal agreed that it was a miracle, 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, Rafael was very, very emotional,” Toni Nadal said.
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. But doubts about Rafael Nadal’s competitiveness were resolved months ago. Since his return, he has won six of eight tournaments, although he was still far from a prohibitive favorite on Friday at the event he has dominated as no other man has.
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. Djokovic had made winning this tournament the main goal of his season, and he had also expressed a desire to win to honor the memory of  his childhood coach Jelena Gencic, who died last Saturday in Serbia. Djokovic also had the faith derived from having beaten Nadal on red clay in their most recent match — the Monte Carlo Masters final in April, another event Nadal had ruled for years. But despite all his hunger and talent, the top-seeded Djokovic could not knock the third-seeded Nadal off his throne in Paris.
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 and positions. Nadal now leads, 20-15, in their head-to-head rivalry, and this match will now serve as a clay-court counterpoint to the 2012 Australian Open final, which Djokovic won in five sets and 5 hours 53 minutes, with both men too weary to stand at the awards ceremony.
In the often windy conditions, Nadal’s wicked topspin forehand was often too much even for Djokovic and his versatile, powerful two-handed backhand in the early going. Djokovic also struggled to apply much pressure to Nadal’s serve, but he found his range on returns in the second set and with a surge of aggressive shotmaking, evened the match. Paris has been a dark and dreary spot for most of this spring, but this was a warm, sunny day, and straw hats and bare shoulders were on display. The mood on the Roland Garros grounds was light, but the intensity on court was heavy from the start.
But Djokovic was soon wearing a flushed, slightly vacant look as Nadal’s level remained high and his own plummeted. Nadal would have several chances to close out the match in the fourth set. The Spaniard was twice up a break of serve and served for the match at 6-5 only to be broken himself. In the quick, windy conditions, Nadal’s wicked topspin forehand was often too much even for Djokovic and his versatile two-handed backhand in the early going. Djokovic also struggled to apply much pressure to Nadal’s serve, but he found his range on returns in the second set and evened the match with a surge of aggressive shotmaking.
This was, as expected, largely a baseline duel, but the rub was that the match ultimately turned for good at the net. Djokovic missed overheads that would have been routine for the Australian greats of tennis’s serve-and-volley past. But Djokovic was soon wearing a flushed, slightly vacant look as Nadal’s level remained high and his own plummeted. Nadal had several chances to close out the match in the fourth set. He was twice up a break of serve and served for the match at 6-5, only to be broken himself.
Up, 4-3, and serving at deuce, he moved in to knock away a high volley and ended up running into the net after striking the ball for what would have been a winner. Though he protested, the chair umpire, Pascal Maria, applied the rules correctly, giving Nadal the point because the ball had not yet bounced a second time when Djokovic touched the net. The match was, as expected, largely a baseline duel, but it ultimately turned for good at the net. Djokovic missed overheads that would have been routine for the Australian greats of tennis’s serve-and-volley past.
There were other unsettling happenings: Nadal was given a point penalty for a time violation in the third set; Djokovic was warned for a time violation, too. And Djokovic spent some of his precious energy down the stretch arguing unsuccessfully for the clay court to be watered as the fifth set stretched on. Up by 4-3 in the fifth set, and serving at deuce, Djokovic moved in to knock away a high volley and ended up running into the net after striking the ball for what would have been a winner. Though he protested, the chair umpire, Pascal Maria, applied the rules correctly, giving Nadal the point because the ball had not yet bounced a second time when Djokovic touched the net.
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. “What can I say, you know?” Djokovic said. “These particular moments in the matches with your biggest rivals, you need to make sure you use the opportunities.”
This time their summit meeting came one round earlier, and the result is that the final Sunday will now have a terribly hard time matching the quality and suspense that Djokovic and Nadal generated Friday. The head-to-head record certainly looks less promising: Nadal leads Ferrer, 19-4. This 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 their summit meeting came one round earlier, and Sunday’s final is now in grave danger of becoming an anticlimax. Nadal, after all, leads Ferrer, 19-4.