Nadal

2022 - 6 - 3

Rafael Nadal reaches French Open final after Alexander Zverev ... (ESPN)

Rafael Nadal has advanced to the French Open final after Alexander Zverev fell during a point, injured his right ankle and stopped playing.

Nadal saved Zverev's fourth set point with the help of a drop shot. His racket flew out of his hand and landed behind him after one wild swing mistakenly sent a ball zipping past the chair umpire until it landed 10 feet wide of the court. Zverev then was taken off the court in a wheelchair. Several minutes later, he came back out using crutches and said he needed to retire from the match. When Zverev did try a drop shot in the match's eighth game, it was merely so-so, and Nadal not only reached it but ripped a down-the-line backhand passing winner. Playing on his 36th birthday at an event he first won at 19, Nadal emerged to claim a tight-as-can-be, draining first set that lasted 1½ hours by a 7-6 (8) score.

Nadal 'very sad' as Zverev suffers gruesome injury - Roland-Garros ... (Roland-Garros)

Rafael Nadal reached the final of Roland-Garros for a record 14th time after third seed Alexander Zverev suffered a horrific-looking ankle injury deep in ...

He came back onto court on crutches and the match was done. The German then broke Nadal for the fourth straight time to go up 5-3. But serving for the set, he began with a double fault and though he led 30-15, he hit two more double faults to let Nadal back in again.

Rafael Nadal advances to French Open final after Alexander Zverev ... (The Washington Post)

Nadal had claimed the 91-minute opening set in an epic tiebreaker, 10-8, and had clawed back from a deficit in the second set, with another tiebreaker ...

After a few minutes’ pause, Zverev returned to the court on crutches, Nadal beside him. “Very tough,” Nadal told his interviewer, seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander, reporting for Eurosport. “Very sad for him, honestly. He was playing unbelievable tournament.

Rafael Nadal Now One Win From 22nd Grand Slam Title After ... (Forbes)

Rafael Nadal will play for his 14th French Open title and 22nd Grand Slam crown after Alexander Zverev suffered a horrific right ankle injury during the ...

So all the best to him and all the team.” Soon a wheelchair was brought out and Zverev was taken off the court. He later came out on crutches and embraced Nadal, as the Spaniard patted his face in encouragement.

Rafael Nadal into French Open final after Alexander Zverev suffers ... (Home of the Olympic Channel)

Rafael Nadal is into the French Open final after semifinal opponent Alexander Zverev retired from their semifinal with an injury.

“To be in the final of Roland Garros one more time,” Nadal said, “it’s a dream without a doubt.” Zverev rolled the ankle on game point for Nadal to force a tiebreak after Nadal won the first set 7-6 (8). The match was more than three hours old when Zverev screamed in pain and was taken off the court in a wheelchair. Rafael Nadal advanced to the French Open final after Alexander Zverev retired from their semifinal match with a right ankle injury in the second set.

Rafael Nadal to Play For 14th French Open Title After Zverev's ... (Sports Illustrated)

On his 36th birthday, the Spaniard won by retirement and advanced to yet another Roland Garros final, where he'll look to become the tournament's oldest ...

When the shock of the injured opponent and the disappointment of winning by retirement wears off, Nadal ought to be considerably happier. This was heading for a five-hour match, so the fact that Nadal was able to get on and off the court in barely three hours ought to benefit him Sunday. In the second set, he was broken four times—the most he’s even been broken in a set at the French Open—and was lucky to stay alive.

Rafael Nadal Strikes First Against Alexander Zverev In Roland ... (ATP Tour)

Rafael Nadal has taken an early lead in his Roland Garros semi-final clash against Alexander Zverev Friday, winning the first set 7-6(8) as he looks to ...

The injury brought an early end to a match that was on course for being one of the best of the season. The last retirement in a Grand Slam semi-final or final came at the 2018 US Open, when Nadal retired against Juan Martin del Potro after the second set, with the Argentine leading their semi-final clash 7-6, 6-2. Of course for me, as everyone knows, to be in the final of Roland Garros for another time is a dream, without a doubt. Nadal then saved four set points in the tie-break, battling back from 2/6 to clinch a mammoth first set after one hour and 31 minutes. The intensity did not drop in a pulsating second set that reached another tie-break before a match that promised to become the best of the year was cruelly truncated. He held four set points in a dramatic first-set tie-break before Nadal produced a jaw-dropping combination of offense and defense to claim the opener.