Djokovic hails Nadal courage after epic

An emotional Novak Djokovic praised “champion” Rafael Nadal after the Serb suffered a heartbreaking five-set loss in the semi-finals of the French Open yesterday.

It was another classic match in an era defined by such encounters, with Djokovic and Nadal meeting for the 35th time.

The Spaniard now leads 20-15 and will bid for an unprecedented eighth title tomorrow, but it could so easily have been Djokovic celebrating reaching a second Roland Garros final in succession.

The match really caught fire in the fourth set as Djokovic recovered from a third-set slump to take it into a decider, twice hitting back from a break down.

He then gained an early break in the fifth, and it could have been two, but Nadal showed his remarkable fighting spirit to level at 4-4 and, after four hours and 37 minutes, he clinched a 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7 (3/7) 9-7 victory.

Djokovic said: “It’s been an unbelievable match to be part of, but all I can feel now is disappointment.

“I congratulate my opponent, because he showed the courage in the right moments and went for his shots, and when he was a break down in the fifth he made some incredible shots from the baseline.

“That’s why he’s a champion. I gave my best. I really did. I really tried to come back.”

Nadal was understandably delighted to have prevailed.

“It’s very, very special for me,” he said. “I want to congratulate Novak, he’s a great champion and he will win here at Roland Garros one day, I’m sure.”

In the final, Nadal will face compatriot David Ferrer, who reached the first Grand Slam final of his career with a one-sided 6-1 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The Paris crowd dreamed of a first home winner of the Coupe des Mousquetaires since Yannick Noah 30 years ago when Tsonga comprehensively defeated Roger Federer in the quarter-finals.

But the Frenchman could not find the same magic yesterday and crashed out in straight sets.

Today Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will do battle in the women’s final.

Williams said: “It will really feel special. I have never played Maria here actually. It will be a great match I think for both of us. We both are doing so well and we both just really want to win. We’re both really excited to be this far.”