After the high of beating arch-rival Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal heads into his French Open semi-final against Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Friday aiming to keep alive his bid for a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title The Spaniard’s biggest hurdle in his quest for a record 14th title at Roland Garros was defending champion Djokovic but Nadal overcame the world number one in a vintage quarter-final.
Zverev will have a chance to spoil the birthday party for Nadal, who turns 36 on Friday, and victory for the third seed would keep the Olympic champion on course for a maiden major title and the chance to climb to the top of the rankings. In the second semi-final on Court Philippe Chatrier, 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and eighth seed Casper Ruud of Norway will slug it out for a maiden final place at Roland Garros.
"Another big challenge is coming tomorrow"@RafaelNadal looks ahead to his semi-final:#RolandGarros
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 2, 2022
Victory over the 33-year-old Cilic would make Ruud the first player from Norway to reach a Grand Slam singles final. Nadal holds a 6-3 head-to-head record against the 25-year-old Zverev with the Spaniard winning four out of five times they have met on clay.
The left-hander, who won the Australian Open in January for a record 21st major title, will be fully focused. “I am not the kind of guy and player that emotionally goes high and low. I am very stable, I think, emotionally,” Nadal said.
Zverev, who reached the 2020 US Open final, beat a first top-10 opponent at a Grand Slam in 12 attempts when he took down Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz, ranked sixth, in the quarter-finals.
Seven-times Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander feels the Parisian weather is going to play a key role. “I am expecting a very close match. I think the weather conditions are going to be extremely important,” Eurosport tennis expert Wilander said. “For once the sun and the heat is not going to favour Nadal.”
The French Open 2022 semifinal between Rafa Nadal and Alexander Zverev will take place on Friday (June 3).
The French Open 2022 semifinal between Rafa Nadal and Alexander Zverev will start at 615pm IST on Friday.
The French Open 2022 semifinal between Rafa Nadal and Alexander Zverev will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network. The live telecast of Roland Garros in India will be available on Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 3, Sony TEN 4 and Sony SIX.
The French Open 2022 semifinal between Rafa Nadal and Alexander Zverev is available on livestream on SonyLiv website and app.
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