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!
All best King of Clay. Nadal will overcome by God grace and defeat Novak, Amen.
Good luck and go for it Rafa!!. And something important: BE RUTHLESS, BE RELENTLESS, use ‘your Magic’ 🙂.
No one manage the pressure like you, no one.
You are just two steps from the Glory… 💚🙏🏻😌
Always wirh you ‘King of Clay’, we love you ❤️
VAMOSSSS RAFA!! 🐂⚡🌀💥🌊🌈🔥🔥
This time I think it will be much more competitive than the previous year. Last time all the talk was about conditions not favourable for Nadal, he is short of match practice , Novak was Rome winner and then that dumb Goran said Rafa has no chance against djokovic lol ! All this made Novak bit overconfident and Nadal put on a masterclass and thrashed him. This time they both have played enough matches and their Rome final was also close . I hope Rafa again beat him easily but I have a feeling we have match on our hand !
Keep him guessing Rafa and mix it up. Keep him off balance and keep up the pressure. Wishing the Clay Master all the best tomorrow.
RAFA ROCKS ROLAND-GARROS
Best Of luck Rafa…You know you got this
Margo and khawartaimoor,
I am so nervous already. I don’t think I can sleep tonight.😬
Rafa, please make the H2H 29-29 tomorrow!🍀❤️ Vamos💪💪💪
Mimi, you don’t want to fall asleep while Rafa is annihilating ND. Shake off the nervousness so you can enjoy the shot that takes Rafa into the final.
Good morning Margo,
You are right.👍 Thank you!😘 I went to bed early and although I woke up a couple times but I managed to get some 😴😴.🙏
Feeling much better, I am ready, Rafa in 3!🍀💪❤️
Rafa everyone of your fans are rooting for you to remind Djoc you are still Kng of clay. I’ll be a nervous wreck watching and cheering you on. I’m a Gemini too just turned 94.on the 6th. Good luck to everyone’s favorite tennis player..
Lil Mauck… I’ll be right there with you being a nervous wreck! The only thing is that I now turn the channel when Rafa gets behind & take peeks here on this site! I find that to be less stress on my body! Can’t remember which AO year it was but Novak and Rafa duked it out for over five hours, Novak winning by the slightest margin. It went the full five sets & I believe that Rafa won the first two sets. Novak look like he was going to pass out… I call it playing possum because all of a sudden he gets all this energy and starts winning… anyway I watched the whole thing.I live in California so it went into the wee hours of the morning and let me tell you I was a mess! They both needed chairs for the presentation & I needed a wheelchair. I was an emotional, physical wreck! My little dog was with me & went under my bed because I was screaming and yelling so loud! Rafa kept doing drop shots & they were not working out… I was going ballistic! I’m not one to curse but somehow the potty mouth comes out especially when Rafa & Novak play! Sorry that was a long winded story but you reminded me of just how nervous we all get! Remember Novak may win but Rafa will always be the king of RG! Let’s all enjoy Rafa taking down Novak! VAMOS RAFA!
Ziggy,
It was 2012. I was in Las Vegas during the time and stayed up watching the final which ended right before 6am, so “painful” and it still hurts.
Thank you Mimi! Yes it’s one you can never forget. After that I will never watch those two until I know Rafa has won. The ceremony went on & on & both Rafa and Novak were cramping really bad. Wow! That was nine years ago & I remember it like it was yesterday! It was a heartbreaker for sure! Thanks for reminding me of the date! For sure I’ll be nervous tomorrow but I really think Rafa will take him down… funny this feels like a final! Have a good time Mimi… at least it’s at a decent time!
Good morning Ziggy,
You’re welcome. You too, enjoy the match!
You have done it before; you can do it again!!!!wipe that smerk off D’ s face and make him eat his smugness!! No matter what, you are the ideal tennis player on the courts!!!
BE R AFA. , at his best!!!!
Wishing you all the best in the semi finals at Paris. You are amazing.I hope you are at the US Open this year. I,m going in hopes of seeing you play. I,ve follow your career since the very beginning.You are a gentle man and a gentleman on and off the court.VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Berrenttini could not exit fast enough with ND’s histrionics. Worse than ever.
Rafa needs to enter this match with super confidence and killer instinct.
Get it done quick champ!
👏👏👏👍
Go ahead Rafa, best of luck 💚💚💚💚💚💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Novak wonders why he’s not loved like Rafa and Roger. Well, the answer was there for all to see last night. I don’t care if he was stressed and frustrated. His beast-like, prolonged primal scream at the end of the match was disgusting and totally disrespectful to Matteo, who is such a gentleman.
Rafa, show Novak how to win with class. Do it in straights, please!
I couldn’t agree more Lorna. Djokovic’s behaviour on court has always left a lot to be desired, which is one of the main reasons why I don’t like him. When under pressure he invariably breaks tennis racquets and has a go at his own team, like they are to blame! It is very childish behaviour and shows a lack of respect for those who care most about him. I don’t know why they put up with it.
As for his winning celebrations, they are sometimes ugly and always way over the top. All that screaming and shirt-ripping and the ritual arm-raising to the crowd seems very contrived to me. He is undoubtedly a ‘prima donna’ with a very big ego and a poor role model for the rest of the Tour. Interestingly, Rafa has 15.5 million followers on Twitter whilst Djokovic has 8.7 million and Rafa rarely tweets!
It will be a very tough match for Rafa tomorrow, not least because Djokovic will be determined to make up for the drubbing he took from Rafa in the 2020 Final. I would rather Rafa lose to anyone but Djokovic!
Not to mention throwing his racket and kicking a sign a couple of points earlier.
Go Rafa! Even if it takes five sets!
Absolutely he has to learn to show poise and magnanimity on the court.A world number one behaving like a beast is a big no no for a role model.
ENHORABUENA!!!! Por tu partido con el Italiano, mostraste garras d campeón, y suerte con Novak, tu puedes, estas en un estado físico y mental muy alto, a por el trofeo décimocuarto, SIEMPRE CONTIGO!!!!
Go Rafa for a straight sets thumping and show him once again who is the Goat
Desire, heart, and every minute of the kind of play you can play…at your best…. Keep faith in yourself. You showed that today ….point after point after point…..Vamos man!!!!
My sister and I pray for you during the whole match every time you play we love you
Friday hasn’t arrived and this is a semifinal so it is not a repeat of last year’s final. I would love the same score, though.
Does anyone remember what Djokovic said about last year’s loss to Rafa?
“I thought I was in a great form,” Djokovic said. “Certainly I could have played better, especially in the first two sets. But, you know, just he did surprise me with the way he was playing, the quality of tennis he was producing.”
Really Nole? You think Rafa doesn’t play high quality tennis? That’s something you would say about a novice, not a 20-time Grand Slam champion. I hope 18 sticks to you like Monster Glue.
Today, Medvedev said almost the same thing about his loss to Tsitsipas.
THANK GOODNESS RAFA NEVER UNDERESTIMATES HIS OPPONENT.
I remember what his coach said before the final.👎
Vamos Rafa, two more great matches!🍀💪❤️
After yesterday my Thoughts about got worse..Such an arrogant n spoiled child he is…Very shameful behavior towards crowd n Berretini
Yes, i remember Novak’s arrogant and patronising comment. I hope Rafa downs him in three quick time!
👏👏👏👍
Margo,
It ain’t gonna be an easy match at all!!!
For once, Djokovic appears supremely determined this time around to end Nadal’s monopoly of the FO and appears overwhelmingly confident and ready.
Rafa, on the other hand, appears subdued and leaving things to chance…..
Djokovic may just have the edge this time around, but he will definitely not win the title.
When Rafa wins tomorrow Nd will be asking himself what went wrong. 😂😂😂
I obviously hope that Rafa will win, but Novak is the toughest opponent. I was appalled at how Novak screamed at the end of his match today. I would hate to have him repeat his boorish behavior on Friday. Rafa we need you to win.
You are being too kind. I find him appalling!!!
Rafa should play Nole the same as in the Rome finals . Aggressive, big first serving and highly confident tennis . Always keeping Nole on the defensive and quessing . This result must be Rafa winning this match in a Mano to Mano no holds barred performance . It’s all about the playing like the champion of Roland Garros that Rafa is .
Go Rafa you can do it all the best you have this remember you are the King of Clay vamosssssss champ we love you 💪💪💪👍💪👍👍👍❤️🎾🇺🇸
VAMOS, RAFA! STAY CALM & BELIEVE. YOU GOT THIS!!
Go for it Rafa. You can do it❤️
Bless you and pray you take the win just like always, CHAMPION