The shock at the top between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the clay at Roland Garros has kept its promises. At the end of a titanic match, the Serbian triumphed over the man with 13 victories at Roland Garros to qualify for the final. Earlier today, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas triumphed over Germany’s Alexander Zverev in five sets, advancing to his first Grand Slam final.
Semi-finals day at Roland-Garros, Friday June 11. On the one hand, the clash of the new generation between the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and the German Alexander Zverev. On the other, the duel at the top between two sacred tennis monsters, Rafael Nadal and his 13 Roland-Garros won, against the world number one, Novak Djokovic, their 58e confrontation.
• In a marathon match, Djokovic debunks Rafael Nadal
Earthquake at Roland Garros: Rafael Nadal, thirteen times crowned in “his” garden at Porte d’Auteuil, was overthrown by world number one Novak Djokovic in the semifinals in four sets, 3-6, 6- 3, 7-6 (7/4) 6-2, in addition to 4 hours of play.
The third set, which stretched over 97 minutes – longer than the opening match of Euro-2021 which took place in parallel -, will probably go down in the history of Roland Garros, even of tennis. In a suspended moment, where the two rivals did not let go, Djokovic ended up snatching the decisive game, while the Spaniard had obtained a ball from two sets to one in the previous game. All in the presence of the public who were not evacuated thanks to an in extremis derogation from the curfew in force in France.
“It’s the biggest game I’ve played here in Paris, also for the atmosphere. The support was incredible for both players, it was fantastic,” said the Serbian. . “If you want to beat Rafa on his court, you have to play your best tennis. Tonight was my best tennis.”
“It was a privilege to be on the court with Rafa for this incredible game,” he said.
The long-awaited duel since the drawing of lots was inevitably a final before the letter between two of the three best players in history at the top of their game. As a result, Djokovic, world No. 1, became the only player to have beaten Nadal (3rd) twice on Parisian clay, after his first victory over the Spaniard in 2015.
The tension was palpable as soon as the players entered the Philippe-Chatrier court which suddenly filled with electricity. And the sparks did not take long since the heavy and violent exchanges began immediately, Nadal not hesitating to ignite Djokovic on the fly from the first game.
The Serbian then took a wave-submersion and was led 5-0, glimpsing the specter of 6-0, already received in the final of the last edition. But as drowning seemed inevitable, the world No. 1 clung to his racket like a buoy and resurfaced.
Too late for the first round, but not for the rest. So much so that he deprives Nadal of a 14th coronation at Roland Garros and gives himself a chance to get closer to a length of the record of 20 Grand Slam titles jointly held by the Spaniard and Roger Federer.
The match having started shortly after 7 p.m. and taking place during the first three sets according to a scenario which already assured him one of the first pages in the tennis history books, we wondered how the organizers were going to be able to evacuate the stadium to enforce the 11 p.m. curfew.
From 10:30 pm, the public began chanting “We will not go! We will not go!” side changes and even “Forget resignation”, in reference to the tournament director who had evacuated the spectators of the Djokovic-Berrettini quarter-final on Wednesday.
But this time the public won. While Djokovic had just won the tie break of the third set after 97 minutes for this single round and thus take the lead in the match, the stadium announcer announced “Madam, Sir, in agreement with the national authorities, the match will be completed in your presence “.
In the hubbub of a crowd dreading the eviction notice, the first announcement was not enough. But the second provoked an explosion of joy: “Thank you Macron! Thank you Macron!” chanted the audience before singing a Marseillaise
“I gave everything I had physically and mentally” but “I know I can play better on this court,” said Nadal at a press conference.
• At the end of the suspense, Stefanos Tsitsipas offers his first Roland-Garros final
In the first men’s semi-final, Stefanos Tsitsipas got the better of Alexander Zverev to win in 3:37 and five sets: 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3.
If Alexander Zverev wins the “toss”, it is Stefanos Tsisipas who quickly takes the lead in the match and the first set. The Greek makes the entry break on his opponent, who is too easily walked on the court. It was not until the German’s second serve that he won his first game in the game and rebalanced the discussions. Too late, the lead of the recent winner of the Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo is too important: Tsitsipas pockets the first round in 37 minutes (6-3).
The second begins in the same way as the first, but this time with Alexander Zverev at the helm (3-0). In delicacy on his forehand, Stefanos Tsitsipas still hangs on and manages to cancel the advantage taken by his opponent. He glued together, then surpassed his opponent of the day by inflicting six consecutive games (6-3).
At the start of the third set, Stefanos Tsitsipas was slack. His opponent took the opportunity to make the break and hold his advantage. The Greek does not find the keys to cancel the advantage taken by the German who, despite a stroke of blood on a decision of the referee, wins the round (6-4).
In delicacy on his service, the world number 5 leaves the first game to Zverev. The scenario of the third set is repeated. Despite a multiplication of faults, Tsitsipas tied the game with his opponent but lost the set because of this bad start (6-4).
In the fifth set, Stefanos Tsitsipas seems to have broken down, directly conceding three points to his opponent. But the Greek wakes up and saves the three break points in order to keep his throw-in. A mental turning point for the Greek? Possible, he makes the break on the second serve of his opponent. The latter will not return, despite four match points saved.
“I remembered where I come from and my roots, my dream was to play here, on these big courts”, he confided with tears in his eyes. “It was very difficult, very emotional. I went through a lot of ups and downs, it’s the most important victory of my career so far.”
By reaching the final, Tsitsipas, the player who has won the most matches (39) since the start of the season, the one who also won the most on clay in 2021 (22), is finally where we are. was waiting. At 23, Stefanos Tsitsipas therefore qualifies for his first Grand Slam final.
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