Nadal outlasts Djokovic in Paris

Spain’s Rafael Nadal beat world number one and 2021 champion Novak Djokovic in a four hour battle to reach the semi finals of the French Tennis Open in Paris.

Nadal won 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6 to advance to the final four.

Rafael Nadal at the 2022 French Open.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 13-time Roland Garros champion will meet Germany’s Alexander Zverev for a place in Sunday’s final.

Djokovic beat Nadal in the semi-finals last year which was just his third ever loss at the tournament.

Meanwhile German third seed Alexander Zverev capitalised on an error-filled performance from Carlos Alcaraz to tame the high-flying teenager.

German third seed Alexander Zverev capitalised on an error-filled performance from Carlos Alcaraz to tame the high-flying teenaged Spaniard 6-4 6-4 4-6 7-6(7) and reach a second straight semi-final at the French Open.

Alexander Zverev
Photo:

This was the first time the 25-year-old Zverev defeated a top-10 opponent at a Grand Slam in 12 attempts and his victory came against a player who came into the contest having won 14 consecutive matches.

Zverev, who lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2021 semi-final, had a 2-1 head-to-head lead against Alcaraz but his opponent had won their most recent meeting — the only one on clay — this month in the final of the ATP Masters in Madrid.

Alcaraz made 56 unforced errors as Zverev saved a set point in the fourth set tiebreak before converting his second matchpoint with a superb backhand service return to set up a meeting against either world number one Novak Djokovic or 13-time French Open champion Rafa Nadal.

World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic plays 13-time winner Rafael Nadal later on Wednesday.

In the women’s draw American teenager Coco Gauff powered past compatriot Sloane Stephens 7-5 6-2 to book a semi-final spot in her biggest victory at a Grand Slam.

The 18-year-old, the youngest player left in the draw who was hit by a brief spell of nerves late in the game, will next play Italy’s Martina Trevisan for a place in Saturday’s final.

Unseeded Trevisan beat Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez 6-2 6-7(3) 6-3.

World number 59 Trevisan had all the answers as she dominated most of the match against a below-par Fernandez who struggled to repeat the form that took her to last year’s U.S. Open final.

-Reuters