Breaking News, Rafael Nadal Through to a Sixth French Open Final

In just over three hours, Rafael Nadal continued his march towards a sixth title at Roland Garros, conquering Andy Murray in the semi-final in straight sets.

Despite the score, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, Murray carried out a stern examination of the Spaniard’s game and played some impressive points. Both players had to contend with a menacing wind throughout the afternoon, which raised the amount of unforced errors.

Before the match, a patched up Murray, hampered by an ankle injury, had gritted his teeth and dragged his way through 13 hours of grueling tennis. With all of the pre-match focus surrounding the Scot and whether or not he would be fit enough to compete with his great opponent, it was easy to forget how Nadal had also found his passage arduous at times, and had actually been on court longer than Murray in the tournament so far.

Murray opened proceedings in determined fashion, demonstrating tactical prowess, manuevering his opponent about the court well. He contested every game, playing his best tennis of the tournament, yet found himself 1-5 down as Nadal displayed his imperious best.

Murray fought his way back to 4-5 and forced two break points to square up the set. However, he eventually succumbed to Nadal’s unrelenting durability on court, surrendering the set with a tame forehand into the net.

The second set was far closer throughout, with Murray visibly spurred on by his first set comeback. Both players continually broke each other, yet failed to gain any clear margin on the scoreboard.

The tension was palpable, as the Roland Garros crowd witnessed four consecutive breaks of serve. Eventually Nadal secured a crucial fifth break with a stunning forehand, establishing a 6-5 lead. He emphatically held serve to win the set 7-5.

With a 10-4 losing record overall, and 3-0 on clay, Murray’s confidence of a comeback would surely have been minimal, and he succumbed to an early break in the third set without much resistance.

The rest of the set continued to showcase points that kept the French crowd purring in appreciation. The eighth game was particularly protracted, as Murray forced several break points. His failure to convert saw his challenge diminish, and Nadal kept his lead, eventually coming through 6-4.

One would struggle to force an argument about Murray erring tactically during this encounter. He mixed up his game effectively, and was in contention throughout. He certainly played a game that could have beaten Nadal.

Despite this, he fell agonizingly short when it mattered most. He won only three out of 18 break point opportunities, to Nadal’s six out of 13, a telling statistic.

As we have been accustomed to seeing, at the crucial stages, Nadal found the class he needed. The confidence he kept in himself during the tenth game of the first set, the bullish forehand he produced at 5-5 in the second, and the steely focus and pressure he exerted on a downtrodden Murray at the start of the third set were all traits of a champion.  

If Novak Djokovic continues his seamless form and does eliminate Roger Federer in a few hours time, Sunday’s final could prove another spectacle to savour.

Nadal has now won 17 sets in a row, installing confidence he may perhaps have lost recently against Djokovic. Whoever he does face, deep down he will surely fancy his chances of a sixth title.

If it is Djokovic, a clash of the two current titans of the game, in one of the grandest stages of them all, would answer a lot of questions about the current order of the men’s game.