Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, with 36 Grand Slam titles between them, are each simply two wins away from creating extra tennis historical past at Roland Garros however standing in the best way in Friday’s semi-finals are Stefanos Tsitsipas and Diego Schwartzman. Tsitsipas is the primary Greek participant to achieve the final 4 in Paris whereas the diminutive Argentine has put sport in perspective this week together with his shifting story of how his great-grandfather survived the Holocaust.
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5)
Head-to-head: Djokovic leads Three-2
— Djokovic is chasing a second Roland Garros title and 18th Grand Slam to change into the primary man in half a century to win all 4 majors twice. It is such a uncommon achievement that solely Don Budge and Rod Laver have managed it within the historical past of the game.
The world primary has 4 titles in 2020, carved out from 36 wins and only one loss – his now notorious default on the US Open.
Nonetheless, is the stress starting to inform? He dropped his first set of the event in his win over Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals and required therapy on his neck and shoulders.
“I had some neck and shoulder points. I do not actually need to get an excessive amount of into it. I am feeling okay,” stated the 33-year-old who was champion in Paris in 2016.
Djokovic is bidding to make the ultimate for the fifth time and a 27th on the Slams.
Tsitsipas, 22 and taking part in in his second semi-final on the majors having additionally reached the final 4 on the 2019 Australian Open, has acquired stronger because the event has progressed.
After dropping the primary two units of his opener in opposition to Jaume Munar, he has swept the following 15.
Tsitsipas is bidding to change into the youngest man to achieve the Roland Garros closing since 2008, when Nadal received the title and youngest to achieve a Grand Slam championship match for the reason that 2009 US Open, when Juan Martin del Potro received the title, 10 days in need of his 21st birthday.
The Greek has solely met Djokovic as soon as on clay, a straight units loss within the 2019 Madrid closing.
“An opponent is an opponent. Does not matter if he’s injured or not,” stated Tsitsipas of Djokovic.
Paths to the semi-finals (x denotes seeded participant)
Djokovic
1st rd: bt Mikael Ymer (SWE) 6-Zero, 6-2, 6-Three
2nd rd: bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
third rd: bt Daniel Galan (COL) 6-Zero, 6-Three, 6-2
4th rd: bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x15) 6-Four, 6-Three, 6-Three
QF: bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x17) Four-6, 6-2, 6-Three, 6-Four
Tsitsipas
1st rd: bt Jaume Munar (ESP) Four-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-Four, 6-Four
2nd rd: bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-1, 6-Four, 6-2
third rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-1, 6-2, Three-1 – retired
4th rd: bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) 6-Three, 7-6 (11/9), 6-2
QF: bt Andrey Rublev (RUS x13) 7-5, 6-2, 6-Three
Diego Schwartzman (ARG x12) v Rafael Nadal (ESP x2)
Head-to-head: Nadal leads 9-1
— Nadal, the 12-time champion, arrived in Paris virtually writing off his chances of equalling Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles.
Nonetheless, the 34-year-old stands getting ready to a 13th Roland Garros closing with out dropping a set and having spent three and a half hours fewer than Schwartzman in attending to the semi-finals.
He stays cautious over his probabilities at a event being performed within the chilly and chill of autumn reasonably than its conventional Might-June slot and after ending his quarter-final against Jannik Sinner at 01:30 on Wednesday morning, he stated it was “harmful for the physique with these very heavy situations”.
Nadal’s late night time on Tuesday was principally attributable to Schwartzman needing greater than 5 hours to defeat US Open champion and third seed Dominic Thiem in 5 units to achieve his maiden semi-final on the majors.
Against this, Nadal is in his 34th.
Nonetheless, Schwartzman will likely be buoyed by defeating Nadal for the primary time in 10 makes an attempt on clay in Rome on the eve of Roland Garros.
Affectionately referred to as “El Peque” (“shorty”), 28-year-old Schwartzman is a mere 5ft 6in (1.68m) and the smallest participant on the planet’s high 50.
“I used to be good at this time. I feel I’ll be good in semi-final,” stated Schwartzman, having received his first Grand Slam quarter-final after three earlier failures.
Paths to the semi-finals (x denotes seeded participant)
Schwartzman
1st rd: bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-Zero, 6-1, 6-Three
2nd rd: bt Lorenzo Giustino (ITA) 6-1, 7-5, 6-Zero
third rd: bt Norbert Gombos (SVK) 7-6 (7/Three), 6-Three, 6-Three
4th rd: bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-1, 6-Three, 6-Four
QF: bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x3) 7-6 (7/1), 5-7, 6-7 (6/eight), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
Nadal
1st rd: bt Egor Gerasimov (BLR) 6-Four, 6-Four, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 6-1, 6-Zero, 6-Three
third rd: bt Stefano Travaglia (ITA) 6-1, 6-Four, 6-Zero
Promoted
4th rd: bt Sebastian Korda (USA) 6-1, 6-1, 6-2
QF: bt Jannik Sinner (ITA) 7-6 (7/Four), 6-Four, 6-1
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