French Open 2022: Rafael Nadal - The eternal matador
With his success against Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Frendh Open 2022, Rafael Nadal added another chapter to his legend story.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit:
Jun 01, 2022, 12:44 pm
When Lars Burgsmüller played his last tennis match on May 23, 2005, he said a few reverential words about his very young opponent in a small press room at the French Open. He played "with unbelievable power" and "crazy passion", one will certainly "hear a lot of good things about him." had traded for the greatest possible understatement ever.
Because none other than Rafael Nadal was Burgsmüller's rival at the time. The German's last game on tour was Nadal's first game in Paris. It was the beginning of an unprecedented story in tennis, in the sport in general, a story of astonishing dominance that will last until the 2022 French International Championships - in fact, a fascinating titan duel between Nadal and frontman Novak Djokovic that began in May and June ended. With the better ending for Nadal, the 13-time champion, once again, as so often. But not to be taken for granted either, after all the drama that preceded the 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory of the indestructible Spaniard, who at 1.17am on Wednesday morning, June 1, in written on the red ground of center court.
Djokovic as the most trusted rival
It was a "very emotional victory" for him, said Nadal after the last of the fascinating attrition battles with Djokovic, who is now the most trusted rival on the big stages of the tour, "it's these moments that you live for as a professional." 59. Match with the Serbian captain, the matador from Manacor appeared in a rare role - as a troubled outsider who might achieve respectable successes, win a set. But because of his annoying foot injury and the overall bumpy preparation time, he could not cross the finish line first.
But in the end, nothing is less worth writing off than the greatest fighter in tennis history. Not at every random location of the traveling circus, but certainly not in Paris, where the "cannibal" (L'Equipe) has established a real reign of terror since May 23, 2005 and his rendezvous with Burgsmüller and has become a constant spoilsport for entire generations revealed by adversaries. When Boris Becker was still able to work as a TV commentator, he said in 2018, when skepticism about Nadal's penetrating power and winning condition had also sprouted: "You always, always, absolutely always have to have him on the Roland Garros Have slips of paper.” According to Becker, the French Open is Nadal’s “realm”, they “released special powers in him.”
Nadal challenged against Zverev on Friday
And indeed: Even 17 years after his oops-now-here-I-come-here debut victory as a teenager, Nadal can still wear down each of his opponents with his elemental force and ability to suffer in the endless Paris slides. Nadal's will to win, like his pain tolerance, knows no bounds when he goes to hours of tennis under the Eiffel Tower. Deep in the night after the craziest and best-attended French Open quarter-finals ever, Djokovic, the defeated defending champion, spoke a simple truth: "Rafa was the better player today. respect for this achievement. He just always comes back to that special level.”
The usual French Open script "one against all" was actually attributed to another actor this year - 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal's highly talented compatriot. But Alcaraz was defeated by Alexander Zverev on Tuesday, in the first quarterfinals - and now the Olympic champion has to go into the ring with Nadal in the semifinals on Friday. "Beating Rafa in Paris is probably the hardest task of all in tennis," says Zverev, "but I feel good and have self-confidence. And I'm looking forward to the match." Zverev has already proven that he can win against Nadal on sand, not least even on the Spaniard's home soil: In the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters 2021, the current third in the world rankings won in two sets, later won he left the top-class tournament after further successes against Dominic Thiem and Matteo Berrettini .
But Paris is Paris. With a Nadal who can still present himself as a quick-change and escape artist. He was also back on top against Djokovic after the exhausting roller coaster ride, in the fourth act of the Center Court drama he even fended off two more set balls and avoided the even longer marathon until well into the early Wednesday morning. Later he speculated again how long tennis could go on for him, the future was uncertain. The clay court king, his companions know it only too well, is always one for the half-empty glass, a world champion of deep stacking. Nadal then plays out the whole truth on the pitch. The mostly bitter truth for everyone who stands face to face with him on the other side of the square.
Here the individual tableau in Roland Garros
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