Rafael Nadal was exceptional in eliminating world No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic, in Roland Garros.

He took his revenge

Rafael Nadal, under the threat of foot pain, was exceptional in eliminating world No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros. A year after falling to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, Rafael Nadal took his revenge on the Serb. The Spaniard brought down the defending champion on Tuesday, May 31, in four sets (6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 [7-4]), after a breathtaking battle of 4h12 at night. Countless twists The battle was bitter, like this endless game, at 3-2 in the second set, on Nadal’s service, which lasted nearly 20 minutes. It took seven break points for Djokovic to get there. So many crazy exchanges were offered to the public at the Philippe-Chatrier court. Each round delivered an unexpected outcome. For a time, for almost an hour and a half, Nadal, the whole stadium or almost won over to his cause, went it alone: ​​until leading 6-2, 3-0 double break, he recited his tennis as in a dream.

He let himself be won over by emotion

Djokovic, of course, recovered, and a 6-1 inflicted on “Rafa” later, the two players were level one set everywhere. Faced with an opponent more powerful and less exhausted than him, his lucidity made the difference in key moments. Stands largely won over to his cause also certainly weighed on the outcome of the meeting. The silence was never respected before a face-off, which did not fail to annoy Djokovic, especially in the last round. When he confirmed his victory with a winning move, Rafael Nadal let himself be won over by emotion. He leaned forward with his hands in front of his eyes, realizing the tenor of the feat he had just accomplished. It had been four years since a player had prevented Djokovic from reaching the last four (Marco Cecchinato in 2018). Having fallen last year against Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, the Majorcan has every intention of winning a fourteenth Porte d’Auteuil trophy this year.