Something strange happened late in the fourth set of the 59th meeting between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. This was Tuesday night, Paris, the French Open quarterfinal but, realistically, also the French Open final. There were all sorts of history markers surrounding this one — the first match ever between players who had each won 20 grand slams, the first match ever between players who had each won 300-plus grand slam matches, the first match ever between players who had each won 1,000 matches total, etc. — and for three and a half sets there was nothing to separate the legends. Nadal had won the first set, Djokovic the second, Nadal the third, and Djokovic was getting ready to serve out the fourth.
Djokovic, Nadal and the Inevitable End
Djokovic, Nadal and the Inevitable End
Djokovic, Nadal and the Inevitable End
Something strange happened late in the fourth set of the 59th meeting between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. This was Tuesday night, Paris, the French Open quarterfinal but, realistically, also the French Open final. There were all sorts of history markers surrounding this one — the first match ever between players who had each won 20 grand slams, the first match ever between players who had each won 300-plus grand slam matches, the first match ever between players who had each won 1,000 matches total, etc. — and for three and a half sets there was nothing to separate the legends. Nadal had won the first set, Djokovic the second, Nadal the third, and Djokovic was getting ready to serve out the fourth.