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!
The obligatory drama.
Come on Rafa unleash the beast!
Protect your serve champ!
Rafa missed three Break Points to break back
nadal is not playing well not serving well. This second set is gone he just called for the fysio but the doctor left.
Nadal needs to serve better and play more agressive he is being too passive in my opinion
Rafa doesn’t break back I think now second set is gone😲😲😲
Competitive second set so far.COME on champ
FINALLY! Now two more please!
Rafa didn’t convert 2 set points n broken
Won’t see bagel but excellent start Rafa
Novak looks subdued, but don’t be fooled by that. I hope Rafa can finish the match in three sets before the curfew kicks in.
Keep the momentum going champ and try to keep the points short where pissible.
Rafa breaks second time…He is under pressure from the start
Choke him like last year please
Great start. Gotta maintain this intensity. Stay the course CHAMP!!
Rafa breaks in his first opportunity
All the best Rafa-! Vamos
Why is Tuts not in Rafa’s box lately?
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜💜💜 for Rafa! Here we go! VAMOS RAFA!
Here we go…Come on Rafa take it with your powerful play
One set won. Two to go. Vamos Rafa.
Rafa on Roland-Garros:
“… I think it is perhaps the most important tournament of my career.
Obviously I’d like to get to 21, but that’s not the only thing that motivates me in Paris. In the last month I have grown a lot, winning a historic tournament like Rome gives me confidence, I really think I needed a week like the one at the Foro Italico ”
[Source: Lorenzo Ciotti, May 26, 2021]
Surely, having won both Rome [#10], and Barcelona [#12] can lead him to Roland-Garros [#14] and #21.
Rafa is always growing and may he be victorious today, too.
RAFA ROCKS
💪🤞
The start time for this first SF is later than usual, so I’m hoping that it doesn’t drag on too long and have a knock-on effect on Rafa’s match.
Just stand firm, champ and put the hammer down!
I’m hoping for a knockout dragged -out fight 5 setter, so they both are drained & exhausted for Rafa! I have been watching both of them and I thought that Zverev looked a tad bit stronger than Tsitsipas. They both can act like spoiled brats crushing their rackets & cursing! Tsitsipas made a derogatory Russian comment about Medvedev… Don’t know what it was but that caused the rift between them. Just goes to show you that Rafa is one of a kind!
Ziggy, this is what popped up:
“You can’t quite hear it in the video, but after Tsitsipas shakes Medvedev’s hand, he calls him a “bullshit Russian.” (Tsitsipas seems to have a thing for Euro-specific bigotry, as he once told a chair umpire that all French people are “weirdos.”) As you saw, Medvedev flipped out, hilariously telling him that “you better shut your *** up,” followed by yelling about a medical timeout he didn’t like and Tsitsipas failing to apologize after a let. Medvedev kind of owned him, and under a barrage of threats and rage, Tsitsipas left the court while the chair umpire tried to cool the Russian down. “He’s a small kid who doesn’t know how to fight,” Medvedev railed, trying his best at the English insult game.”
[Source: Golfdigest, Shane Ryan, February 17, 2021]
If this is true, that Tsitsipas is a bigot, I had no idea. I am very surprised and disappointed.
Hey I thought Rafa was on first!! I’m primed for this match!
No matter. First on, last on, day, night… the result will be the same: Comprehensive Rafa Victory!
Get in there and back up my words champ! Good luck Rafa!
Rafa…… You’re playing better and better with every match!
You know what to do! Walk onto the court with grit, focus and determination!
Take Djoka out of his game….
Remember….you’ve beaten him your last two meetings….
SEND HIM HOME TONIGHT!!!!!!
VAMOS RAFA!!!!
Go Rafa go I’ll be watching your match and I’m 100 per cent certain you will blow Djokovic of the court and into the final where you will win another Roland Garros. No one will beat your record here. You are world class and a real champion the greatest ever!
Love from your greatest fan!
Jo from England