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Published on : 03/06/2022 – 18:21
The public will have attended two sets and three hours of play in a splendid semi-final between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev at Roland-Garros on Friday in Paris. The German eventually had to retire after twisting his right ankle. The Spaniard will therefore be in the final on June 5 against Marin Cilic or Casper Ruud.
A fantastic match that ends in pain and chilling images. Fate was cruel with the spectators but, above all, with Alexander Zverev, Friday June 3, during the first semi-final of the Roland-Garros tournament where the German faced Rafael Nadal. We had just exceeded three hours of play on the Philippe-Chatrier court, the Spaniard was leading a set to zero and had just equalized in the second set (7-6 [8]6-6) when his opponent collapsed.
The world No. 3 had just slipped on clay to return a ball. Immediately, the Olympic champion in Tokyo screamed in pain and lay down on the ground. The replays are hard to see: his right ankle bent at an abnormal angle, suggesting a sprain. Rafael Nadal and several members of the tournament’s technical team immediately came to his bedside, worried. Evacuated from the field in a wheelchair, the German received some treatment in the locker room.
But nothing to do. Shortly after, Alexander Zverev returned to the field walking on crutches to greet the referee, his opponent and the public, unable to resume this semi-final. Beaten at the same stage of the competition last year by the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, “Sascha” Zverev aspired, this time, to reach the final. His injury dashed his hopes.
A first set in the tie-break
Before this twist of fate, the two players had offered a new match of anthology in this fortnight. Both were sublimated, Rafael Nadal responding to the devastating services and forehands of Alexander Zverev with the amortizations and passing of which he has the secret. The German, feverish in important moments and accumulating too many double faults and unforced errors, had lost a superb first set in the tie-break, after more than 1h30 of play.
In the second set, Rafael Nadal seemed to experience weak times at the physical level, leaving his opponent in control. However, Alexander Zverev was unable to seize the opportunities to return to a round everywhere against the master of the place. The latter had just scored the point which opened the door to a new tie-break when the German’s ankle turned.
This is not how the Mallorcan hoped to win on his 36th birthday. The marked face, the world No. 5 accompanied his opponent when the latter came to confirm to the referee his abandonment. Sport can be cruel. Now, Rafael Nadal is waiting to know who will join him in the final, the Croatian Marin Cilic or the Norwegian Casper Ruud. Against one or the other, Sunday June 5, the Spaniard will aim for a 14th coronation in Paris and a 22nd Grand Slam.
