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The final was a quarter-final, and Novak Djokovic felt Rafael Nadal deserved to win.
“He was able to take his tennis to another level in those very moments at the start of all the sets, except for the fourth,” said Djokovic. reporters After Nadal won in four sets on Tuesday. “…I’ve had chances…He has shown why he is a great champion, while maintaining his mental strength…He deserved it.”
While Nadal won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4), it looked as if the two legends would trade sets en route to a decisive fifth place.
After all, Nadal grabbed first and third, while Djokovic snatched second and went 5-2 on fourth. That’s when the 13-time French Open champion reached “another level” and recovered to force a tiebreak that he won with relative ease.
It was the same at Roland Garros for the Spaniard, who also defeated Djokovic in the 2020 final. While the Serb won the 2021 semi-final, bragging rights are now back on the King of Clay side.
He also extended his record to Amazing 101-1 at the French Open when she won the first set.
Nadal already surpassed Djokovic and Roger Federer for his 21st Grand Slam title when he won the Australian Open in January. He’s two wins away from adding to his overall legacy and record at the French Open, but things won’t come easy even after defeating his great teammate.
He will face Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals after the No. 3 seed beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in another quarter-final match.
Nadal has a 6-3 advantage in head-to-head matches, although Zverev has won in three of the last four.