Novak Djokovic redoubled efforts to go back to Stefanos Tsitsipas in his quarterfinal match, postponed on Friday due to rain with 4-6 and 1-2 from the Greek, and solve his semifinal, on Saturday afternoon, against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego. He suffered, he gave himself a good beat, almost five hours in competition to meet Rafa Nadal in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome, this Sunday at 5 in the afternoon.
‘Nole’ raised a scoreboard against Tsitsipas several times to survive and go to the semifinals after “the most difficult match of this year.” The result 4-6, 7-5 and 7-5 attests to the wear and tear it implied for the No. 1 totaling 3h.16 ‘on the track, two at the restart.
Made the most complicated of the day, in the afternoon he went for the TKO against the first Italian in ‘semis’ since 2007, Sonego, which also did not arrive completely fresh after having played two and a half hours before Andrey Rublev (3-6, 6-4 and 6-3). Djokovic was confused by his desire to finish, seeing himself doomed to extra wear.
Beat by 6-3, 6-7 (5) and 6-2 in 2h. 44 ‘. The Serbian saved two set balls with 4-5 after having wasted seven break balls during the set, with 6-5 ‘Nole’ had two match points with serves and lost again before a Sonego protected by the fans, feeling like a hero. It was solved by # 1 in the third sleeve, about half past nine at night.
The duel of kings is served in the Foro Italico. The nine-time tournament champion, Rafa Nadal (34 years), against the holder of the crown, who won his fifth in October 2020, Novak Djokovic (33). His command in fifteen of the last seventeen disputed editions of this tournament is assured.
Nadal was with a foot and a half out facing two match points against Denis Shapovalov in eighths. he also worked hard against Alexander Zverev on Friday. He regained energy on Saturday dispatching Reilly Opelka 6-4 and 6-4 in an hour and a half, qualifying at 5.30 p.m. “I don’t think anything that happens today (Saturday) will have a decisive impact. I’ve had a very tough week too, we are all prepared for this ”, Nadal analyzed about the difference in work and hours with respect to the other finalist before the start of the second semifinal.
The most repeated classic in the history of professional men’s tennis returns. It will be his 57th chapter, with 29-27 for Djokovic, who also dominates the aggregate in finals (16-12). However, Nadal rules in the clay court record (18-7) and in Rome (5-3 in total, 3-2 in finals).
They meet again six months after Rafa Nadal signed a masterpiece in the clay of Roland Garros, October for the pandemic and equaling the 20 Grand Slams of Roger Federer. Victory in the final by 6-0, 6-2 and 7-5, extending to four the positive streak of the Spanish on his favorite surface over the Serbian, whom he dominated in the final of Roma 2019 by 6-0, 4-6 and 6-1 and in the ‘semis’ of 2018 7-6 (4) and 6-3). His last KO on the ground against ‘Nole’ occurred in that same scenario, in the quarterfinals of 2016, 7-5 and 7-6 (4).
Roland Garros is approaching, in two weeks, the world No. 1 and champion this season of the Open de Australia, his eighteenth Grand Slam, and the king of the land, who prevailed in the last Count of Godó Trophy.
In Paris, when Nadal arrives as world number three to the draw, there is a danger that they will fall in the same part of the table, being possible their clash in the ‘semis’ and not in the final.
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