adminPAris. — Novak Djokovic ended Rafael Nadal’s 39-match French Open winning streak by beating the nine-time champion in a surprisingly lopsided quarter-final 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 yesterday.
It is only the second defeat for Nadal in 72 career matches at Roland Garros — and second in 95 best-of-five-set matches anywhere on red clay.
The other came in the fourth round in 2009 against Robin Soderling. Before that, Nadal had won four championships in a row at the French Open. And since then Nadal had collected a record five consecutive French Open trophies.
The No 1-ranked Djokovic lost all six previous matches he’d played against Nadal in Paris, including the 2012 and 2014 finals.
But Djokovic was dominant for stretches this time, allowing Nadal only three winners off his heavy topspin lefty forehand, perhaps the most feared shot in all of tennis.
With his coach, Boris Becker, jumping out of his seat time after time to applaud, Djokovic conjured up 45 winners to only 16 for Nadal, whose 29th birthday was Wednesday.
By the end, Djokovic not only had broken down Nadal’s game but also his usually unbending will.
Appropriately for a match that did not live up to the hype, it closed with a whimper on a double-fault by Nadal.
“I have much respect for Rafa. He is obviously not playing at the level we expect from him this season,” Djokovic said. “But he remains a champion and it’s always a pleasure to play against him.”
This was only a quarter-final because Nadal’s ranking had slipped so far he was seeded sixth, despite all of his unprecedented success at the French Open.
Nadal missed time last season with a right wrist injury, then had appendix surgery during the off-season. He has spoken openly about a crisis in confidence from poor-for-him results in 2015: Wednesday’s loss was his sixth on clay, his most in a year since 2003.
When the new rankings come out Monday, he’ll be no better than 10th, his worst spot since April 2005.
Significant as the victory was for Djokovic, no trophy was on offer.
He’ll have to wait for that.
Meanwhile, Andy Murray sets up French Open semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic after coming through against David Ferrer
Andy Murray hauled his way into a second straight French Open semi-final yesterday with an impressive takedown of arch Spanish scuffler David Ferrer.
But the scary thing is that this was the easy bit. Now comes the ultimate test in tennis, trying to prevent Novak Djokovic claiming his first title at Roland Garros.
Murray successfully reversed his result against Ferrer at the same stage of this event three years ago by winning 7-6 6-2 5-7 6-1 in three hours and 16 minutes. It was his tenth win over the Spaniard but his first in five attempts on clay.
The world No 3 is in the semi-finals here for the third time in his last four starts — an impressive record on what is considered to be his least favourite surface. He will now have to somehow try and reverse his terrible record against the all-powerful Serb, who has beaten him the last seven times they have met.
“It’s going to be extremely tough, and I hope I can play high quality tennis,” said Murray.
“Novak must have played very well to beat Rafa in straight sets. It will be very difficult.
“I knew it was going to be a hard match against David. The first set was very important but he fought back in the third and then I had to fight in the fourth.”
Murray especially profited from his aggression on Ferrer’s second serve, piling the pressure on it by standing well inside the baseline to receive.
As against Jeremy Chardy, his opponent had issues with his ball toss and Murray was eventually able to capitalise, after he had come through a desperately nervy first set.
Looking in control at 4-3 up with a break, he ended up needing to save two set points to take it into a tie-break. — Daily Mail.
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