Nadal

Rafael Nadal makes a fast start to win a high-quality opening set against Novak Djokovic on Tuesday night in the 2022 Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Just as in the opening set, Nadal began set two with a crucial break of serve in a titanic opening game. He won his fifth break point of a seven-deuce game to draw level, then fought off a break point to hold for 4-3 across four deuces. Nadal and Djokovic both put on a show in the opening set of their Roland Garros quarter-final, but Nadal struck the first heavy blows to win it, 6-2.

Talks of an end to Rafael Nadal's reign proved premature once again as he beat arch rival Novak Djokovic in a vintage French Open quarter-final clash.

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. 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. 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.

But the victory did allow Nadal to protect his lead in the career-long race to finish with the most Grand Slam men's singles titles. Nadal took sole possession ...

He was downbeat after that defeat but did not rule out playing in the French Open and arrived in Paris with his longtime physician, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro. Djokovic did not get the chance to play that tournament in Australia. He was deported on the eve of the competition after a standoff with the Australian government over his unvaccinated status. Nadal took sole possession of the men’s record with 21 by winning the Australian Open in January, breaking his tie with his longtime rivals Djokovic and Roger Federer, who both have won 20.

Rafael Nadal got past rival Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in a monumental match in the French Open quarterfinals to move a step closer to his 14th ...

"See you, by the way, in two days," Nadal said. Djokovic's 3-0 lead in the fourth did him no good, even though he served for it at 5-3, even standing one point from forcing a fifth twice. "All the history we have together, today was another one. Nary a game, a point, a stroke or, indeed, a step came with a hint of insouciance. "Tonight has been one of those magic nights for me." "To win against Novak, there is only one way — to play at your best from the first point to the last," Nadal said.

In a match that Rafael Nadal warned might be his last at the French Open, he dispatched longtime rival Novak Djokovic to reach the semifinals.

“He was a better player I think in important moments,” Djokovic said. “I’m not surprised at all,” Djokovic said of Nadal’s ability to bounce-back physically. If Nadal lifts another Coupe des Mousquetaires on Sunday, then the 35-year-old Djokovic, who after last year’s Wimbledon was tied with Nadal and Federer, cannot take the lead until 2023 at the earliest. “It’s to play at your best since the first point ’til the last, no? After Alcaraz was eliminated, it became clear that the Nadal-Djokovic winner would become the title favorite. “To win against Novak, there is only one way,” said Nadal, who lost to Djokovic in the 2021 French Open semifinals.