French Open: Nadal beats Djokovic in four-hour marathon to reach semis

Photographs from the French Open quarter-final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

IMAGE: Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates profitable his quarter-final match in opposition to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. {Photograph}: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters

Talks of an finish to Rafael Nadal’s reign proved untimely as soon as once more because the claycourt king stayed on track for a record-extending males’s twenty second Grand Slam title by beating arch rival Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) in a classic French Open quarter-final conflict on Tuesday.

The 13-time Roland Garros champion, crushed by the world primary within the semi-finals right here final 12 months, arrived in Paris on the again of two accidents that had hampered his preparations.

IMAGE: A annoyed Novak Djokovic. {Photograph}: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

Having already survived a five-set thriller in opposition to Felix Auger Aliassime within the earlier spherical, the Spaniard, who has solely misplaced thrice on the French Open since his first marketing campaign in 2005, is aware of each inch of the immense courtroom Philippe Chatrier and Djokovic paid for the reminder.

The Serbian remains to be caught at 20 Grand Slam titles after being barred from collaborating within the Australian Open by native authorities over his refusal to get vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 – a significant that Nadal received.

IMAGE: Rafael Nadal celebrates a degree in opposition to Novak Djokovic. {Photograph}: Adam Fairly/Getty Photographs

On the day teenager Carlos Alcaraz, who has been extensively tipped as his successor, was knocked out, Nadal threw the punches and had defending champion Djokovic on the ropes in a excessive octane begin below the spotlights.

IMAGE: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic performs a backhand return. {Photograph}: Adam Fairly/Getty Photographs

Djokovic fought again in an 88-minute second set however the 35-year-old Nadal, backed by a partisan crowd, discovered the assets to finish it in 4 units regardless of being a break down within the fourth and arrange a gathering with German third seed Alexander Zverev for a spot in Sunday’s ultimate.

Zverev beat Alcaraz in 4 units earlier.