Novak Djokovic dethrones the 13-time champion Rafael Nadal with a four-set victory at a late hour. Because of the two even the curfew from 11 p.m. is lifted.
Simon Graf
Published: 06/11/2021, 11:28 PM
For twelve days, the national corona rules had been meticulously adhered to in Roland Garros. Those who did not pull their mask over their nose were admonished. The curfew was enforced, even if it meant vacating the stadiums in the middle of the game. But on this Friday evening, tennis was bigger than the small, insidious virus.
It was 10:40 p.m., Novak Djokovic had a 2-1 lead in this inspiring semi-final against Rafael Nadal when the speaker announced that the audience should stay until the end.
The decision caused a storm of enthusiasm among the 5000 in the stadium, who had either been vaccinated twice, had just tested negative, or had demonstrably gone through the corona disease. To drive them all out of the stadium within a reasonable period of time would have been an impossibility anyway. The decision was approved by the authorities, it was “exceptional circumstances”, announced the tournament.
And so the tennis spectacle went on with an audience that was aware of the privilege it enjoyed and that made itself heard again and again. With greater sympathy for Nadal, the 13-time winner and drawn hero. But it was no use anymore. As much as the Spaniard resisted his third defeat in 16 years by Roland Garros, Djokovic could no longer be stopped. In a battle of wear and tear over 4 hours and 10 minutes, he prevailed 3: 6, 6: 3, 7: 6, 6: 2. At 11:20 p.m. this epic duel was over.
115 times before, Nadal had won the first set in a best-of-5 match on clay. This impressive series broke the 116th time. In the fourth round he still took the lead 2-0, but after that he won no more game.
Nadal lacked freshness
He lacked the freshness to really press Djokovic again in the rallies. In addition, his serve suddenly left him in the lurch. Nadal will be particularly hurt by the missed set ball at 6: 5 in the third round when he was a bit too passive and Djokovic surprised him with a stop ball.
It is an unusual and bitter defeat for the Spaniard, who started the 58th duel between the two in a similar style to last year’s Paris final, which he dominated amazingly (6: 0, 6: 2, 7: 5). Nadal won the first five games again this time, but Djokovic subsequently succeeded better and better in pushing him out of the comfort zone in the baseline duels. And that left its mark on the 35-year-old.
The 21st Grand Slam title, with which he would have left Roger Federer behind, has to wait for Nadal. Meanwhile, Djokovic has the chance to win his 19th in the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas. There are exciting days in tennis.
Tsitsipas, the first Greek
Also for Tsitsipas, who will be the first Greek in a Grand Slam final on Sunday. The 22-year-old prevailed for the first time in his fourth major semi-final. Against the capricious genius Alexander Zverev, he had to survive extremely difficult moments in the afternoon game. The German gave the first two rounds with a flood of mistakes, but then suddenly played big, equaled 2-2 sets and came to three breakballs at the beginning of the fifth.
But Tsitisipas stayed calm, still won his service game after the 0:40 and finally the game 6: 3, 6: 3, 4: 6, 4: 6, 6: 3. How he behaved in those moments shows that he has matured further, not only playfully but also mentally.
At his premiere among the last four, he was outclassed by Nadal at the 2019 Australian Open. Last autumn, the Greek failed in Roland Garros in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic in a five-sentence thriller. At the beginning of the year at the Australian Open, his tank against Daniil Medvedev was empty after he had beaten Nadal in the quarter-finals.
When he finally made it in Paris, he couldn’t hold back the tears in the interview. He later stated that he had thought of earlier. “I’ve been watching Roland Garros on TV since I was little. It was the favorite tournament of my first coach (Giorgos Spiliopoulos) who is now in Athens. I was also emotional because of him. “
A triumph of Tsitsipas would probably trigger similar feelings of happiness in his home country as the 2004 European football championship title. He is so close – and in view of the tireless Djokovic, still so far away.
Published: 06/11/2021, 11:28 PMFound a bug? Report it now.