Defending champion Rafael Nadal is closing in on a 14th Roland Garros final as he prepares to face Novak Djokovic in Friday’s semifinals.
It is a repeat of last year’s final which Rafa won 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win a fourth consecutive French Open title. Rafa has won seven of eight matches against the Serb at Roland Garros, with the only loss coming in the 2015 quarterfinals.
Date: June 11, 2021
Match Time: Not before 5:30 PM local time / 11:30 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 4:30 PM BST – United Kingdom / 5:30 PM CEST – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / misnight AEST – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
It will be the 58th installment of one of the great rivalries in tennis history, with Nole currently leading the head-to-head series 29-28. Rafa is 5-0 in their last four clay-court encounters.
Rafa on playing Nole:
“Always a big challenge. That’s something that is good because in some way we are practising, we are living the sport for these moments. So that’s a good thing. The negative thing, it’s difficult because you play against one of the best players of the history. That’s how it is.
“We know each other well. Everybody knows that in these kind of matches, anything can happen. The player who is playing better that day is the player that going to have better chances, no?”
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
So sorry you lost today but wasn’t meant to be but thank you for battling hard to the end and making the match so enjoyable! You are still a champion in my eyes.let us just hope Stefano beats Djokovic on Sunday. Look forward to seeing you at Wimbledon. Get some rest
With love from your greatest fan in England Jo
Anyone else crying?? i feel empty. but this is not the end of the world. plz don’t say that it’s his last match here. we r not ready for that….. win or lose we love you Rafa. watching you play being your fan is a gift from God. God bless Rafa and his fans. vamos
congratulations to nole he deserved to win I take my hat of for him. On Sunday he has a chance to write history by being the first man since roy emerson to win every grandslam two times. Something that I really wish rafa could done at the australian open.
Rafa played unbelievably bad. His serve was a complete disaster no free points and a shameful 8 double faults and lot of errors with his backhand.
The third set was the key had nadal converted the setpoint at 6-5 who knows what would have happend. Rafa was struggling the whole time with his serve I fully blame Carlos Moya for this he is being rafa coach since 2017 and one thing he did not work on was rafa serve. That is a big disadvantage he has on other players like djokovic
I know rafa will never add someone to his team who can help him with improving his serve but i wish he would consider that. 8 double faults is a disgrace.
For rafa this is a mental setback. I dont see rafa winning in London so the us open is his only chance to win a grandslam this year. Djokovic or Federer will win Wimbeldon. Hopefully stefanos will win Sunday but i doubt it
Do you also give Carlos Moya the success he has helped Rafa to achieve since he joined his team?
mimi lau,
Yes off course he won 6 grandslams under Moya but one moya didnt not work on was rafa serve That is what rafa is lacking a good serve that will give him free points you saw the match you saw him struggling with his serve serving 8 double faults its a disgrace that is why he lost this match
Also Nole is fitter then Nadal. Nole could have played for hours and hours I believe that nole is going to win on sunday against stefanos and i am at peace with it because nole is just the better player then nadal
Nole has beaten nadal more on clay then nadal beat him on grass
Also, how do you know they haven’t not work on his serve? 8 or more DF is not a disgrace, ND’s behavior is a disgrace!👎
Correction: they haven’t work
Thank you Mimi! Carlos Moyer has only been good for Rafa! My God Rafa has won a all-time record 13 times.! There should be no shame or blaming anyone it happened it was bound to happen and that’s all there is to it. Sometimes I think people post just to aggravate Rafa’s real fans !
Ziggy,
Thank you!🙏❤️ REAL Rafa fans are disappointed of course that Rafa lost today. I Hope he stay well and strong for the next challenge.
Enjoy some quality time with your loved ones Rafa.🥰
Mimi, I’m with you and Ziggy. It’s healing time, not blaming time.
I’ve gotta say Mimi you have Rafa’s fighting spirit. You came out swinging🥊 It’s 2:18AM and I am having my first laugh since Rafa lost. Thanks 😂
Thank you so much Margo.😘 I feel honored regarding your first laugh.😂 But seriously I feel lucky and grateful to have all of my fellow Rafa fans supporting each other in good times and sad times.🙏🥰
Looking forward to more Rafa greatness ahead.❤️
Mimi, re yours of 8:42PM
Aww…thank you. That was sweet. [I’ll make sure not to get on her bad side😂].
Too many great ones to mention, but I was happy to read so many understanding and uplifting comments. Rafa needs to heal and so do we, his fans. I, too, am grateful to all the fans who are keeping with the Rafa spirit.
🥰
Sorry correction..Moya !
No worries Ziggy, got it.
Obviously this guy is trying to get a reaction out of us Rafa fans. Little does he know that we are passionate, diehard fans and nothing he can say will rock or change what we think or feel about Rafa! If there’s any criticism it should be directed towards Novak and his unacceptable behavior, screaming like a wild maniac that has lost all control., Rafa lost & yes we are hurting & saddened but we will survive! Win or lose Rafa is our hero & we don’t need any your negative input!