World No 1 Novak Djokovic inflicted just the third defeat of Rafael Nadal’s French Open dominance to reach his sixth final at Roland Garros on a night of sporting drama.
Djokovic, who also defeated Nadal in the quarter-finals in 2015, sealed a remarkable 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 victory against the 13-time champion in front of a football-style atmosphere on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Nadal had won all 13 of his previous semi-finals but, in a 58th match between the pair that was on a par with almost any that came before, Djokovic found the answers to the greatest challenge in sport to win an extraordinary match.
In the final on Sunday, Djokovic will take on Stefanos Tsitsipas – winner of a five-set contest with Alexander Zverev earlier on Friday – when he can climb to within one title of the Spaniard and Roger Federer at the top of the all-time men’s Grand Slam standings and also become the first of the trio to win each tournament at least twice.
Nadal was given a long ovation as he made his exit from the court, leaving Djokovic to try to sum up what had just happened.
“The first thing I want to say is it was my privilege also to be on the court with Rafa in this incredible match,” he said. “It is surely the best match I have played here in Paris. It’s also the match with the best atmosphere, ambience and energy.”
