the phoenix Nadal sets the record straight against Djokovic – Liberation

In the cool of the night, on a Philippe Chatrier court with crowded stands, Rafael Nadal shattered all predictions, winning against defending champion and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. He will face Alexander Zverev, winner of Carlos Alcaraz, on Friday for a place in the final.

Four hours and twelve minutes of match. “It’s one of those unforgettable nights”: it is 1:40 a.m. and, perched on his chair in a press conference, Rafael Nadal takes advantage of the moment. The Spaniard has probably just achieved one of the greatest feats of his career. After a titanic fight that ended at the end of the night, he knocked down world number one, Novak Djokovic, in four sets (6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6 (4)), qualifying for his fifteenth semi-final at Roland-Garros. Who would’ve believed that ?

Less than two weeks ago, Nadal left the clay court in Rome with his head bowed, weakened by his foot injury, a Muller-Weiss syndrome which has penalized him since the start of his career. Season on earth completely truncated, physical shaky… No one was then able to say in what state the Mallorcan would tread the Parisian lands. Especially that opposite, there was quite simply the most successful man of this Roland-Garros. Boosted by his title in Rome gleaned just before arriving at Porte d’Auteuil, Novak Djokovic had not lost a single set since the start of the competition, with the added bonus of a great show of force in the round of 16 against Diego Schwartzman (6-1 6-3 6-3).

But in the cool of the night, on a Philippe Chatrier court with crowded stands, the Manacor bull shattered all predictions. Admittedly, since the start of the tournament, Rafael Nadal has made no secret of not liking the playing conditions of the night session (the humidity preventing his balls from squirting and flying as much as on drier ground) but after everything, he plays at home or almost. The public, vociferating his name at all the hot moments of the meeting, only too well reminded his opponent, yet defending champion.

In the arena, the two gladiators produced a gripping fight. From the first points of the match, the Spaniard showed great intensity, taking a Serbian by the throat inside. After an hour and a quarter of play, at 6-2, 3-0 double break against him, the Djokovic machine finally got going. More incisive, surgical on the return, the world number one gradually reversed the trend until winning the second set 6-4, suggesting a remake of their epic semi-final last year (Djokovic won in four innings after losing the first).

“Every game I play here can be the last of my career at Roland-Garros”

But the two men would not be legends of their sport if they were not able to invent new scenarios with each match, despite their 58 previous confrontations. Connected to alternating current, the Serb was broken at the start of the third round. Djokovic’s mechanics are bogged down by the self-sacrifice of a Nadal who, physically, still does not weaken despite his 4:21 fight in the previous round against Félix Auger-Aliassime in the legs. 6-2 for the Spaniard. In rage, Djokovic hit the net with his racket at the start of the fourth set under the whistles of the public, before breaking in stride. At 5-3, the world number one even gets two set points on his serve, in vain. Nadal picks up the score and pushes Djokovic to the tie-break. The case is then smoothly led by the Spaniard who produces a masterful level of play to come off quickly in the decisive game (6-1). Despite three match points saved, the Serb ended up capitulating. Nadal, he is jubilant. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…” he will blow at the microphone of Marion Bartoli in front of an unleashed public.

The Spanish phoenix has set the record straight. At 35, (36 in two days) he can still dream of brandishing the Musketeers Cup for the fourteenth time in his career. Announced at the start of the tournament as the match of the fortnight, this duel will therefore have kept all its promises. But as the main interested party points out, the competition is far from over: “It was a very intense night, it is for these moments that I still play. But it’s only a quarter-final, I haven’t won anything. I just gave myself the opportunity to get back on the court in two days.” And to add: “To be honest, given the current situation with my foot, every game I play here may be the last of my career at Roland-Garros. That’s why I just try to take advantage of the chance I have to be here as much as possible, without thinking too much about what’s next. The Spaniard has two days to recover from his marathon. In the meantime, his next opponent, Alexander Zverev, who also created a surprise by taking out the young Carlos Alcaraz a little earlier in the day, is waiting for him with a firm footing.