Rafael Nadal showed why he is the greatest player in French Open history by defeating long-time rival Novak Djokovic in a late-night thriller to reach the men’s singles semi-finals.
Nadal, seeking his 14th title, started brilliantly and held off defending champion Djokovic to win 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4) at Roland Garros.
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After more than four hours on the court, Nadal won at 1:15 a.m. local time. On Friday, the 21-time Grand Slam champion will face third seed Alexander Zverev.
Germany’s Zverev, 25, advanced to the semi-finals for the second year in a row after defeating teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the day.
“To win against Novak there is only one way: to play your best from the first point to the last,” said 35-year-old Nadal, who thanked the Paris crowd for showing their “love”.
“This is one of those magic nights for me.”
Fifth seed triumphs Rafael Nadal avenged his semi-final loss to Djokovic last year and improved to 110 wins in 113 matches on the Roland Garros clay.
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The pair’s rivalry is the most enduring in men’s tennis, with Nadal winning their 59th meeting to close the gap to 30-29 in the head-to-head.
“Nadal showed why he is a great champion and stayed mentally tough. No doubt he deserves it,” said Djokovic.
