French Open: Novak Djokovic dethrones Rafael Nadal in world-class semifinals
Novak Djokovic followed Stefanos Tsitsipas into the final of the French Open 2021: The world number one beat the 13-time Paris champ Rafael Nadal 3: 6, 6: 3, 7: 6 (4) and 6: 2.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jun 11, 2021, 11:29 pm
Novak Djokovic won against Rafael Nadal in Paris for the second time in his career - and in an impressive manner in one of the best matches in recent years.
3 hours and 38 minutes. So long (or so short) Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic should only have time to play their semi-finals, at least with spectators. Because from 11 p.m. the “curfew” would come into force in Paris, i.e. the curfew.
The two didn't seem to care too much from the start. The first two games alone lasted 17 minutes, Nadal won both (after defending against two breakballs), but then quickly led 5-0, reminiscent of the French Open final in 2020: 6-0, 6-2 and 7 : 5 he had dismantled Djokovic there, although the beginning and the end were contested here too.
Nadal quickly pulls away
The level? High from the start. There were two stop-praise combinations in the first game, Nadal got a set ball with a homage to Mansour Bahrami and his ball-forehand-over-next-the-shoulder mixture. Djokovic countered again, managed a rebreak. And Nadal continued to lie, at 5: 3 and 40: 0 he thundered two balls on the Djoker, who simply let the second drip off to the unreachable stop. Set ball number seven then sat for Rafa - after a, we already mentioned, high-class first round.
Djokovic is becoming a better player
Djokovic was on the way, got the fast 2-0, but Nadal equalized (with a rebreak to zero). At 4: 2 for the Djoker the decisive game, in which both left a lot several times. An outstanding Nadal pass (again after a stop-praise combination) remains, but Djokovic got the 5: 2 and shortly afterwards the set compensation. He fended off five break chances in the last two service games.
World class level in set three
Djokovic now tackled the matter more clearly, holding Nadal with his own forehand on his backhand. Ironically, he managed to break to 3-2 with a Nadal stop that got stuck in the network. But Nadal countered directly, punished Djokovic's repeated gimmick and managed the rebreak with a forehand longline shot from the defensive. Bitter: Nadal then gave up his serve in no time at all. Djokovic played through to 5: 4 and 30: 0, then left a forehand bitterly - and then came Nadal: backhand pass, forehand sling and the renewed rebreak. Djokovic bravely fended off a set ball for Nadal at 6: 5 via stop.
In the tie-break, Nadal made the decisive mistake when he misplaced a simple volley, Djokovic could not take the mini-break to lead the 2-1 set. The level of the entire round: outstanding!
The spectators were then allowed to stay in the stadium - and they saw Nadal take a 2-0 lead. But then Djokovic immediately countered again, made a break for his part and pulled 5-2 against a battered Nadal, who had to take a short treatment break because of problems on the foot.
Djokovic was not impressed: He made another break to victory. "That was the best match I've ever played here," said Djokovic afterwards. "You have to play your very best tennis against Rafa, I played my very best tennis today."
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