Put away the saplings, it’s a folded affair. Rafael Nadal will win Roland-Garros for the 14th time. This is, in any case, what suggests the history of the Mallorcan on Parisian clay. Beating him at Porte d’Auteuil is already an achievement but, even if it means doing so, it is better to get down to it before the semi-finals. After that, it is simply impossible if the statistics are to be believed.
His only two defeats here came in the round of 16 (Robin Söderling in four sets, 2009) and in the quarter-finals (Novak Djokovic in three sets, 2015). Once in the last square, it’s 100% for the Mallorcan. Here is the list of players who ran into him in the semi or final:
Roland-Garros
Mahut: “We both wanted to cry, it was strong”
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4 HOURS AGO
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. Roger Federer: 6 (Semi-final x 2, Final x 4)
. Novak Djokovic : 6 (Demi-finale x 3, Finale x 3)
. Dominic Thiem : 3 (Demi-finale x 1, Finale x 2)
. David Ferrer: 2 (Semi-final x 1, Final x 1)
. Andy Murray : 2 (Demi-finale x 2)
. Mariano Puerta: 1 (Finale x 1)
. Robin Söderling: 1 (Final x 1)
. Apartment Wawrinka: 1 (Final x 1)
. Ivan Ljubicic: 1 (Demi-final x 1)
. Diego Schwartzman : 1 (Demi-finale x 1)
. Juan Martin Del Potro: 1 (Demi-finale x 1)
. Jurgen Melzer : 1 (Demi-finale x 1)
That is 26 wins in 26 matches. Often, with a comfortable margin since out of these 26 games, only one went until the 5th set. It was the famous semi-final against Novak Djokovic, in 2013. In total, Nadal conceded only ten innings in 26 matches in the aggregate of his semi-finals and finals in Paris. The house price at the end of the fortnight is 3-0. On 17 occasions, the Mallorcan has indeed won in three sets. Eight times, he conceded a round (four times against Federer, two against Djokovic, and once against Puerta and Thiem).
“It’s difficult to bet against Nadal even if it’s Djokovic opposite”
Not to mention beating him, which no one has been able to achieve in this context, it is even extremely difficult to lead against Nadal in the semi or final at Roland Garros. This has only happened three times in all of those 26 matches. For the first two, it starts to date since it was during his first two finals in Paris, in 2005 against Mariano Puerta and 2006 in front of Roger Federer. It was then necessary to wait for another final, that of 2014, where Novak Djokovic had also pilfered the first act. All three lost in four sets behind.
In the semifinals, no one has ever counted a set ahead of Rafael Nadal. If, on Friday, Novak Djokovic succeeds, it will already be a form of achievement. And if the Serbian were to win, that would be historic. Ditto for the possible opponent of the Spaniard in the final.
A bubble and three sets for a 13th triumph: Nadal destroyed Djokovic
Roland-Garros
Aces for half a dream
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4 HOURS AGO
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Roland-Garros
Krejčíková, a fantastic fight and a first final
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4 HOURS AGO
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