It was shaping up to be the worst: Rafael Nadal, Le Roi de Roland Garros, up two sets to one, six games to five, thirty-fifteen. Two points from dispatching arch-nemesis Novak Djokovic in the French Open semifinals – and he couldn’t close. He lost the set in a tiebreaker, then got broken early in the fifth.
Nadal just can’t beat this guy.
Except he did.
From the New York Times:
Nadal Outlasts Djokovic to Reach Final
PARIS — It was only a semifinal and relegated to first on the Friday schedule, which meant that there were plenty of empty seats at the Philippe Chatrier court when Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic walked on court to play for the 35th time.
But by the time they finished chasing down each other’s bold strokes in the afternoon sunlight, there could be little doubt that this was the main event.
It required 4 hours 37 minutes, but Nadal, the seven-time French Open champion, prevailed, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 9-7, over Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 player.
The victory earned, truly earned, Nadal a chance to successfully defend his title Sunday . . .
It was a terrific performance by both players, a sort of bookend to their classic duel in the 2012 Australian Open final. From 7-7 in the fifth set, Nadal won eight of the last nine points, breaking Djokovic at love to win it all.
As they say on France 2, France 3, and France 4 – superb!!
