2020 ROLAND GARROS

Serves are kept but Nadal is stretched to a set point, adv, incredible rally and winner there

another punishing rally and this set is not over, Nadal made a drop shot for another sp

10+ mins and Nadal gets that 1st set: 6-3

We've been here many times before but I don't think I've seen someone pull Rafa apart on clay as much as this (can't remember what it was like when he lost to Djoko), but Diego took a while to find himself on his own service game.

Breaks again, Rafa! Its a more entertaining match tho'

Ridiculous that they’re still not using Hawkeye on clay.

Good hold for Diego, still in the set.

wow!!

squash shot magic diego!

at the next a net cord pushes Diego's shot over the line then Nadal was ruthless at the end - holds!

0-40 now, terrific how Nadal just broke his spirits with that hold

Saves them all, an ace among them but still work to do

an ue from Nadal, so still in this..

excellent hold though still a break down.

But finally broken, we have been here many times..

indeed, this is a very Nadal match.

Feeling broken too, like Diego

my god that last pass would’ve been amazing if he had made it. but alas, nothing’s going Diego’s way

prob too late but Schwartzman breaks back and we’re on serve in the third.

Poor Diego. Fought so hard to get that set to a TB only for Rafa to do what Rafa does. Still an incredible match, hope Schwartzman sticks around for a long time.

Went to Tb, but Nadal eases through.

XP - think he can get through to a final, has a serious shot at winning this.

Djoko got to 0-40 on his serve in the 1st game, eventually saved all and survived that, just looked again and now he's 3-0 up

at 4-2 now and they are both playing good stuff

6-3, 1-1. Djoko taking 10 mins to save himself, but like the first semi- the more established player does it (ugh)

0/10 bps tsi

Finally does it

6-5 tsipas

FH dtl to break and win the set!

Yes Tsipas!! Breaks in the 4th

breaks back

what a bp save for stefanos!

drop shot, one more bp

he did great to get out of that, on serve

quick hold, do expect Djoko to get it in four..

has two more bps to save. Stefanos did ask for the physio earlier..

found an amazing angle to create another bp, which is saved again!

brilliant bh by stefanos to set up a gp, and converts that, on serve

one more bp, 11th in the set

ace!

digging so fkn deep: 5-4

bad ue for Djoko, now its deuce

sp!

5th fucking set

Keeps it on serve at the 5th Stefanos

lol finally breaks in the 5th :-(

bah

For the first time in 13 finals, I’ll be fully behind Rafa on Sunday. Which means he’ll probably lose.

id been confident this whole tournament rafa was going to take it, over novak, but now that we're here im having doubts

Didn't get a chance to watch any of this today; would've been beautiful if Novak had lost from mp up, considering the 20-odd times he's come back from that position. A nice bookend to this late imperial phase (having lost from mp up vs Cilic at Queen's in June '18, before he started winning things again). I've completely made my peace with Rafa matching Roger's 20 Slams at this point.

I do wonder if the pandemic has extended the reign of the 30-somethings (US Open notwithstanding) a little. Obv Fed was out for the year, but Novak and Rafa slogging through a full spring/summer schedule may have worn them down a little for the Slams. Let's call it a day at 20-20-17, yeah?

I only realised today that each time I've seen the Big Three play in the flesh, they've all lost! Nadal to Davydenko, World Tour Finals group stage, 2009; Federer w/Wawrinka, Olympic doubles, 2012; Djokovic to Del Potro, Olympics bronze medal match, 2012 (and Fed was getting stomped on Centre by Murray for the gold at the same time). Cf. my dad, who managed to be serially disappointed by Pele, Stanley Matthews, Duncan Edwards... Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye... At least Eusebio didn't disappoint.