The Spanish Rafael Nadal (N.5) will play on Sunday for his 14th Musketeers Cup after beating the German Alexander Zverev (N.3) 7-6 (10/8), 6-6 and abandonment in the Roland Garros semifinals, that he could not continue at the end of the second set after twisting his right ankle.
With 7-6 (10/8) in the first set for Nadal and a ball for the Spaniard to force the ‘tie break’ in the second, Zverev ran for a ball and when sliding on the clay he twisted his right ankle, and With obvious gestures of pain, he left the track in a wheelchair, before returning minutes later on crutches to tell the chair umpire that he could not continue.
It was the sad epilogue to a very tough match, three hours had been played and the second set had not finished, but at the same time very strange, especially in the second set, when both players made numerous mistakes, unbecoming of a Grand Slam semifinal .
It will be the 14th final for Nadal, who turns 36 this Friday and has 13 titles at Roland Garros, so he could win his 14th on Sunday and raise his record for Grand Slam victories to 22.
“I am very sad for him. He was playing very well,” Nadal said ruefully in the courtside interview.
“I know how hard he is fighting to win a Grand Slam and unfortunately it won’t be for him this time, but I am convinced that he will win more than one, because he is a great player, one of the toughest rivals on the circuit,” he added.
The final will be against the Norwegian Casper Ruud (N.8) or the Croatian Marin Cilic (N.23).
“Being in the final again is a dream for me, but at the same time ending the game like this is very sad. I wish him the best,” the Spaniard finished.
– Under roof –
Nadal started cold, like the rainy day in Paris that forced the roof of the Philippe Chatrier to be closed, with which the conditions of the track changed completely and he went on to play and ‘indoor’.
Zverev got the break in the first game of the match and dominated the first games thanks to an almost infallible service and dominating the game with his forehand.
The Spanish recovered the ‘break’ against in the eighth game to make it 4-4 and had three set points in the 10th game, but more due to the German’s demerits (he committed three almost consecutive double faults and missed several clear shots), but the outcome went to the ‘tie break’, where Nadal saved four set points, the last two with impossible shots, before finishing off with a forehand parallel to the line to put an end to a first set that lasted… 1h32! !.
Driven by euphoria, the man from Manaco started the second set very well, with a blank ‘break’ and a second break after the longest rally of the match (44 hits), but his serve was not good and Zverev made him bleed with each rest until winning the Spaniard four games in a row with his serve… something that would cost any player to lose the set, unless your name is Rafael Nadal.
At 4-5 and serving to win the set, Zverev lost the game after committing three double faults.
And when Nadal had the ball to force the ‘tie break’, at 3:02 minutes after the match had started, the unfortunate play that ended the match came.
It will be a new Roland Garros final for Nadal, who has not lost any, but the happiness will not be complete due to the way in which the classification arrived.
The Spanish Rafael Nadal (N.5) will play on Sunday for his 14th Musketeers Cup after beating the German Alexander Zverev (N.3) 7-6 (10/8), 6-6 and abandonment in the Roland Garros semifinals, that he could not continue at the end of the second set after twisting his right ankle.
With 7-6 (10/8) in the first set for Nadal and a ball for the Spaniard to force the ‘tie break’ in the second, Zverev ran for a ball and when sliding on the clay he twisted his right ankle, and With obvious gestures of pain, he left the track in a wheelchair, before returning minutes later on crutches to tell the chair umpire that he could not continue.
It was the sad epilogue to a very tough match, three hours had been played and the second set had not finished, but at the same time very strange, especially in the second set, when both players made numerous mistakes, unbecoming of a Grand Slam semifinal .
It will be the 14th final for Nadal, who turns 36 this Friday and has 13 titles at Roland Garros, so he could win his 14th on Sunday and raise his record for Grand Slam victories to 22.
“I am very sad for him. He was playing very well,” Nadal said ruefully in the courtside interview.
“I know how hard he is fighting to win a Grand Slam and unfortunately it won’t be for him this time, but I am convinced that he will win more than one, because he is a great player, one of the toughest rivals on the circuit,” he added.
The final will be against the Norwegian Casper Ruud (N.8) or the Croatian Marin Cilic (N.23).
“Being in the final again is a dream for me, but at the same time ending the game like this is very sad. I wish him the best,” the Spaniard finished.
– Under roof –
Nadal started cold, like the rainy day in Paris that forced the roof of the Philippe Chatrier to be closed, with which the conditions of the track changed completely and he went on to play and ‘indoor’.
Zverev got the break in the first game of the match and dominated the first games thanks to an almost infallible service and dominating the game with his forehand.
The Spanish recovered the ‘break’ against in the eighth game to make it 4-4 and had three set points in the 10th game, but more due to the German’s demerits (he committed three almost consecutive double faults and missed several clear shots), but the outcome went to the ‘tie break’, where Nadal saved four set points, the last two with impossible shots, before finishing off with a forehand parallel to the line to put an end to a first set that lasted… 1h32! !.
Driven by euphoria, the man from Manaco started the second set very well, with a blank ‘break’ and a second break after the longest rally of the match (44 hits), but his serve was not good and Zverev made him bleed with each rest until winning the Spaniard four games in a row with his serve… something that would cost any player to lose the set, unless your name is Rafael Nadal.
At 4-5 and serving to win the set, Zverev lost the game after committing three double faults.
And when Nadal had the ball to force the ‘tie break’, at 3:02 minutes after the match had started, the unfortunate play that ended the match came.
It will be a new Roland Garros final for Nadal, who has not lost any, but the happiness will not be complete due to the way in which the classification arrived.
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