French Open, Men's Semis match thread

[lydian]

First topic message reminder :

So...1 hour to go, thought I'd create a specific match thread.

Its clear blue skies over Paris, not a cloud in sight and temp is already 26.5c and rising. Latest pic and temperature:


So the heat is literally on!

12pm GMT we have Nadal vs Djokovic, followed by David vs Goliath.

We've seen the predictions, heard the impersonations and listened to the musical quips, just need the action to start now!

[CAS]

Djokovic never has the script, doesn't he know when Rafa serves for the match you are supposed to give up?

[kingraf]

Unbelievable!!
Credit to Nole though, the guy probably refused to spell "defeat" in school.

[JuliusHMarx]

Somethings up with Djokovic, if he'd just tried to outlast Rafa he'd have been fine, instead he's trying to attack which never wins.

Agreed, although we may never find oout what that something is. He knows the right tactics to play versus Nadal and has done so repeatedly with great success, yet today he's not playing those tactics, he's trying to end the points more quickly.

Having said that, great heart being shown.

[barrystar]

There's got to be a fifth set now - such a shame if it ends with this tie-breaker, and I'm not saying that just because I'm partisan. Everyone agrees that the Wimbledon final 2008 was better for it's 5th set

[CAS]

this is very similar to the AUS Open 2012, if you look back it was flat as it felt inevitable then all of a sudden Nadal fights back and it becomes a great match

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Incredible stuff from Djokovic in these last 5 minutes

[bogbrush]

Y'know, if Djokovic could win this this the door opens big time for Tsonga.

[break_in_the_fifth]

Horrific commentating "cheering djokovic because they want another set of nadal"

[bogbrush]

Wow!!

[_homogenised_]

Novak is WN1. Only a real champion could come back from that.....

And now Nadal has to play a 5th... even if he wins, the finalist may have the fitness advantage.

[summerblues]

Yes!

[kingraf]

Nadal cant win from here. He had soo many chances!!

[JuliusHMarx]

Wow - that last shot was probably better than 'The Shot'

[invisiblecoolers]

Idemo Nole, one of the greatest comeback within the match, still Rafa the hot favorite to win, but so far very impressed with Djoko's attitude specially in the 4th set.

[summerblues]

Not the best of matches quality-wise, but this set created some drama at least.

[invisiblecoolers]

Novak is WN1. Only a real champion could come back from that.....

And now Nadal has to play a 5th... even if he wins, the finalist may have the fitness advantage.

Which is what exactly I want, I hope the 5th goes 20-18 like JHM predicted.

[HM Murdock]

OK, I am absolutely bewildered by this match.

What on earth is going on?!

Nadal the better player overall (quite comfortably, I'd say) but Novak showing some great courage under pressure.

Still fancy Nadal but let's have a good 5th set.

[lags72]

Just that one game at 6-5 plus the TB has brought the possibility of a thoroughly exciting finale to what has otherwise been a rather uninspiring encounter.

[summerblues]

Nole, just please do not drop the fifth 6:1 or worse.

[_homogenised_]

Djokovic outplayed Nadal in that tie break for sure. Nadal didn't have a clue what to do.

[_homogenised_]

This is too good to be true???? hahaha!

[barrystar]

Nadal is now in largely uncharted territory. We'll really see where he's at now, which I guess is what all neutrals wanted:

a. his second ever 5-set match at RG - and the last one had a very different trajectory because after being 2-1 down vs. Isner he ran away with it 6-2 6-2

b. his first 5-set match since his return from injury.

[The Special Juan]

Djokovic is by far the toughest mentally on tour. He goes walkabout mentally at times but more often than not pulls himself back together when it comes to the crunch. Funbelievable!!

[bogbrush]

Nadal is extremely nervous. Very lucky at 15-40, big shank went in.

Broken though.

[The Special Juan]

Tell you what actually, the stars are aligning for little Daveed or Jo. They would have wanted nothing more than these 2 to go 5 sets 20-18 or something.

[_homogenised_]

Nadal's true colours coming out again.....

[barrystar]

Nadal is extremely nervous.

Djoko desperately needs to hold now to consolidate that break - first time he's been ahead in the match.

[summerblues]

Yes! Nole, keep it up please.

[kingraf]

Its done!

[luciusmann]

This is awesome! For the first time Djokovic is leading the start of a set!

For the first time Nadal is actually pushed to 5 sets in the later stages of RG! I hoped the 4th set would be a tie breaker and Djokovic took it pretty easily....I don't know if Nadal can fight back after being so close to winning...

[lags72]

barrystar - yep, a tricky one in many ways. There's a distinct lack of recent 5th setter experience for Nadal, but on the other hand he does not have the accumulated mileage that he would have by now if he had played second half of 2012 and early 2013 .......

[barrystar]

This is a crucial game - if Nadal can break back it's his dander up again, if Djoko can hold having shown him a chance, it's yet more heartbreak.

[The Special Juan]

Ferocious hitting. I can't believe what I'm seeing here.

[bogbrush]

They're both tiring now.

[_homogenised_]

If you want to talk about tennis in terms of who is the best at endurance, physicality and athleticism... you have to look at Djokovic.

[barrystar]

I must admit that even though I want Nadal to lose, you'd need a heart of stone not to emphathise with his fans right now. He may yet win of course, but I've been here so many times with Federer matches that it's not difficult to imagine how nerve-wracked they must be.

[bogbrush]

Yeah, Nadal starting to stiffen a bit.

He'll guts it through though.

[summerblues]

Nole never tires, but he likes to pretend he does.

[lags72]

Very true. The one guy who can very often tire out Rafa.

[luciusmann]

I must admit that even though I want Nadal to lose, you'd need a heart of stone not to emphathise with his fans right now. He may yet win of course, but I've been here so many times with Federer matches that it's not difficult to imagine how nerve-wracked they must be.

I agree, in fact, there's some similarities because Fed got so close to beating Nadal. Nadal has come so close to beating Djokovic here so if he goes onto to lose, it will feel a tad similar, which in fact makes it worse for fans of the player who loses.

[barrystar]

I must admit that even though I want Nadal to lose, you'd need a heart of stone not to emphathise with his fans right now. He may yet win of course, but I've been here so many times with Federer matches that it's not difficult to imagine how nerve-wracked they must be.

I agree, in fact, there's some similarities because Fed got so close to beating Nadal. Nadal has come so close to beating Djokovic here so if he goes onto to lose, it will feel a tad similar, which in fact makes it worse for fans of the player who loses.

Yes, and I suspect it's worse on court to find yourself behind having been shown the monkey as it were.

[summerblues]

Nole showing nerves too.

[summerblues]

...but so does Rafa.

[_homogenised_]

Does Novak double as Clark Kent on his off days?

[bogbrush]

Poor old Rafa and Nole fans can't post!

I know the feeling........

[barrystar]

Nole showing nerves too.

nice nerve steadier though that, 3-1.........

I have a feeling he'll need another break if he's going to do it though.

[Jahu]

Come on Rafa, squeeze him like a spanish orange.

[_homogenised_]

I think we are finally seeing Nadal's limit here... Djokovic is outlasting him.

[bogbrush]

Yeah, they're both tired now but I feel Nadal is suffering more.

Two line shots this game, and two great winners.

Edit; 3 line shots.

[summerblues]

That would be a Serbian orange. If we are into Spanish oranges, Nole would have to do the squeezing

[Sponsored content]