ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images
Maybe it’s time to rename it Rafa Garros.
Rafael Nadal bested longtime rival Novak Djokovic on Tuesday in French Open quarterfinals action, moving one step closer to a 14th Roland Garros triumph behind yet another absolutely classic match.
Roland-Garros @rolandgarros
???? What a set! What a comeback! ???? <br><br> ???? Is 14 next for <a href=”https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@RafaelNadal</a> ?<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RolandGarros</a> <a href=”https://t.co/0Wa4mjZoau”>pic.twitter.com/0Wa4mjZoau</a>
Nadal wrapped it up in four sets, but it was a marathon of a match, with his 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) victory lasting over four hours.
As always when these two titans of the sport face off, Tuesday’s match was one for the books:
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg
Novak Djokovic beating Nadal in the <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RolandGarros</a> semifinals last year was one of the greatest wins of his career.<br><br>Rafael Nadal beating Djokovic in the <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RolandGarros</a> quarterfinals tonight was one of the greatest wins of his career.<br><br>6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).<br><br>4h12m<br><br>1:15 am.
José Morgado @josemorgado
INCREDIBLE in Paris… again!<br><br>13 times champion Rafael Nadal comes back from 2-5 down in the 4th set to beat #1 and defending champ Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) in 4h10 and reach the semifinals at <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RolandGarros</a> for a 15th time.<br><br>36th career Grand Slam semifinal. <a href=”https://t.co/ZPHJnBeRRb”>pic.twitter.com/ZPHJnBeRRb</a>
How good is this rivalry? The all-time series is now 30-29 in favor of Djokovic.
It’s incredible that Nadal, at 35 years old and clearly battling through the lingering effects of several ongoing injuries, can still play at this level against elite competition.
But it was just as incredible to watch Djokovic, himself 35, push the greatest player in the history of the French Open to such lengths, never giving an inch.
“Against Novak there is only one way to play, at your best from the first point to last,” Nadal said after the match.
It is rare, if not unparalleled, to see the three greatest players in the history of their sport play at the same time. But such has been the case for men’s tennis in the past two decades, as Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer have wrestled for the crown.
It is Nadal, with 21 Grand Slam triumphs, who holds the lead over his rivals, with Djokovic and Federer just behind at 20 apiece. Perhaps it will be 22 soon enough.
Who will bet against Nadal at this point?
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