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Djokovic outlasts Nadal in semis

Novak Djokovic came from a set down in a spellbinding French Open semi-final to inflict only a third ever defeat on the Parisian clay for Rafa Nadal, moving through 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2 in front of raucous crowd on Friday.

Nadal, bidding for a recordextending 14th French Open title, won the first five games of the match as he looked on course to repeat his drubbing of the Serb in last year's final. No.1 Djokovic seized the momentum, winning the second set and then edging a pulsating 97-minute third set on a tiebreak, having saved a set point.

The soccer-style atmosphere created by a crowd of around 5,000 inside Court Philippe Chatrier reached a crescendo towards the end of the third set as the Paris COVID-19 curfew loomed.

Thankfully, the Parisian authorities granted an extension to the 11pm cut-off meaning the magnificent contest could continue to be graced by a live audience.

But there was no reprieve for the 35-year-old Nadal as his seemingly inexhaustible resolve was finally broken.

He hung on like the true champion he is but Djokovic, looking fresh despite nearly four hours slugging it out with the world's greatest ever claycourter, ruthlessly closed in.

After breaking for a 4-2 lead the end came quickly as he inflicted first defeat on Nadal at the French Open since he beat him in the 2015 quarter-final.

Djokovic will play Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final with the chance to move to 19 Grand Slam titles, just one behind the men's record 20 held by Nadal and Roger Federer.

Facing three breakpoints in the deciding set against Alexander Zverev, Tsitsipas appeared set for another Grand Slam semifinal heartbreak but the Greek somehow managed to dig himself out of the hole.

The 22-year-old, seeded fifth, went on the attack and won the next five points to hold serve in the opening game of the fifth set having witnessed German Zverev wipe off his two-set advantage on the Philippe Chatrier court.

Those were the last breakpoints on Tsitsipas' serve as he went on the beat the sixth seed with a lone break in the deciding set to book a maiden Grand Slam final spot having lost three times at the lastfour stage.

"I'm someone who fights," the Greek told reporters, when asked about his hold from 0-40 down. "I was not willing to give up yet.

"I think I did few things right that worked in my favour. I was still alive. I was still able to come back to the match.

"It was a breath of fresh air, that first game. I felt revitalised. I felt like now it's time to take that into my advantage."

From then on, Tsitsipas found a way to out-muscle the big-hitting Zverev to become the first Greek player to reach a Grand Slam singles final.

He finally ended the three hour and 37 minute contest with an ace on his fifth match point.

"It means a lot. It was a difficult match. It was a match full of emotions, full of so many different phases that I went through," he added.

"So at the end it was just such a big relief I was able to close it in such a good way. It was just exhausting. I'm proud of myself.

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2021-06-12T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-12T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/282063394910677

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