Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal advances to the semifinal round of the French Open after beating his rival and world No.1 Novak Djokovic on Wednesday.
It was a thrilling encounter, the 59th in the long-running rivalry between the two best tennis players on the planet. 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 for Nadal (4).
The quarterfinals match was a thriller. It lasted more than four hours in Paris local time and was one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament, as per a report from CNN.
The 35-year-old Spaniard is aiming for a record-tying 14th French Open victory as well as extending the 22nd major title.
In the semifinals, Nadal will face Germany's Alex Zverev, the world No. 3. He advanced after defeating Carlos Alcaraz, a 19-year-old Spaniard who is ranked No. 6 in the world, in four sets on Tuesday.
Storied Rivalry
Nadal has beaten Djokovic 29 times in their head-to-head clashes, more than any other two men in the sport's professional era. Djokovic has won 30.
Rafael Nadal has played 113 matches at Roland Garros in his distinguished career, winning 110 of them. Two of these three losses in Paris were caused by Djokovic.
According to world no. 5 Nadal, he is enjoying each day at the Roland Garros without worrying much about "what can happen in the future." For him, the best way to figure out a solution is to "keep fighting".
When the match ended, Djokovic congratulated Nadal and expressed his admiration for his rival's mental toughness and "finishing the match the way he did."
After their dramatic French Open quarter-final, Novak Djokovic denied that Rafael Nadal's ability to bounce back from injury had surprised him, according to a report from Eurosport.
Djokovic suffered a four-set defeat, and Nadal advanced to the semi-finals with a high-intensity and maximum performance.
The Serbian Tennis superstar called Nadal "a great champion" after his loss that eliminated him from the tournament. He also said that he went through "highs and lows" physically and emotionally during the intense match.
"I lost to a better player today. Had my chances. Didn't use them. That's it. Over four hours' battle, and I have to accept this defeat," Djokovic said.
He added that Nadal showed his mental toughness which was a significant reason why he is a "great champion."
"Staying there mentally tough and finishing the match the way he did. Congrats to him and his team. No doubt he deserved it," Djokovic said.
But despite the defeat, world no.1 still holds his head high.
"I'm proud of fighting and staying till the last shot. As I said, you know, I lost to a better player today ... over four hours' battle, and I have to accept this defeat."
How Much Is the French Open Prize Money This Year?
If Rafael Nadal wins the Roland Garros this year, he could bring home a French Open Prize Money worth millions.
During the COVID-19-affected years, the total prize money was $66.37 million in 2020), but it dropped to $60.94 million a year later (2021), per Sporting News.
The entire prize pool at the 2022 French Open Prize Money is $66.80 million. It's a nearly $6 million increase over last year's entire prize pool.
