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Rafael Nadal: "It's very emotional for me"
Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP
Grand Slam record winner Rafael Nadal has won the duel against Novak Djokovic at the French Open.
The 13-time Paris champion won 6: 2, 4: 6, 6: 2, 7: 6 (7: 4) at the Stade Roland Garros early on Wednesday morning and will now meet Alexander Zverev in the semifinals on Friday.
The Olympic champion had previously prevailed against the Spanish tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz 6: 4, 6: 4, 4: 6, 7: 6 (9: 7) and thus, like last year, reached the round of the last four at the Stade Roland Garros .
Nadal initially set the tone in the eagerly awaited match and repeatedly shone with spectacular passing balls.
Djoković then came up but fought back to no avail.
At 1.15 a.m. local time after 4:12 hours of play, Nadal converted his fourth match point.
The Spaniard reduced the 59th game of the two permanent rivals to 29:30 wins.
He got revenge for last year's semi-final defeat and made it to the last four at Roland Garros for the 15th time.
"It's very emotional for me," Nadal said after the game: "Novak is one of the best players in history and you have to play him at the best level from the first to the last point."
bbr/dpa/sid