Where does the latest Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal thriller rank in the all-time rivalry?

“Watching Rafa play at Roland Garros to me is like watching your favourite film,” two-time main champion Victoria Azarenka tweeted as Rafael Nadal was making brief work of Cameron Norrie within the French Open’s third spherical. “You get pleasure from it quite a bit however you kinda already know what will occur.”

This was true … till it wasn’t. Nadal floor his method by way of to the semifinals as all the time, stretching his newest Roland Garros successful streak to 35 matches and shifting to 105-2 all time in Paris. However within the semifinals, outdated rival Novak Djokovic knocked him to 105-3. Nadal opened up a 5-0 lead within the first set, however Djokovic landed a number of physique blows, seemed just like the more energizing participant all through, and took down the champ in 4 units, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2.

That rating line doesn’t do the match justice, nevertheless. The primary three units stretched 3½ hours, and the plot twists got here quick and livid. The 2 mixed for 98 winners, mixed to save lots of 24 break factors and engaged in 57 rallies of 9 or extra photographs. Announcer Mary Carillo known as it her favourite Djokovic-Nadal match within the third set. Issues fizzled out on the finish, with Djokovic successful the final six video games to place issues away. However this was a spectacular match.

The place does Friday’s match rank within the Djokovic-Nadal oeuvre?

This rivalry has been marked by excessive momentum swings. Nadal discovered his prime gear on tour sooner than Djokovic and gained 5 of the primary six matches between them; then they cut up 4. Nadal gained seven of the following eight, then Djokovic discovered himself and gained 10 of 12. Nadal acquired the higher hand once more, successful six of seven over the following two years, however Djokovic gained 11 of 12 from 2013 to 2016 whereas Nadal was battling harm and kind points. However then Djokovic dealt along with his personal set of accidents and points, and Nadal had gained 5 of the previous eight — with all wins approaching clay — earlier than Djokovic’s Friday win.

For such a good collection — Djokovic has 30 wins to Nadal’s 28 — a big share of the matches have been straight-sets wins somehow. Nonetheless, whenever you play 58 instances, 29 instances in event finals, you’re going to play some classics, and so they’ve had their justifiable share. Let’s rank their prime 10 battles.

10. 2014 French Open finals

Winner: Nadal 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4

Nadal at his grinding finest. Coming off of a straight-sets demolition of Andy Murray, Nadal couldn’t fairly hit the identical excessive notes, so he took to outlasting Djokovic as a substitute. Djokovic struck shortly, however Nadal took management late within the second set. Down a break within the fourth, Djokovic got here again to even issues at 4-all, however then he blinked. He double-faulted on Nadal’s first match level to provide the Spaniard his fifth French Open title in a row.

9. 2011 Miami finals

Winner: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6

Unbeaten thus far in 2011, Djokovic managed a lot of the match, however Nadal gained six of eight break factors within the first set — 4 on his serve, two on Djokovic’s — earlier than the match changed into a big-serving battle late. The third set shortly rolled to a tiebreaker, the place Nadal double-faulted at 2-2. Djokovic’s lead shortly ballooned to 6-2, however Nadal saved two match factors earlier than a Djokovic forehand winner sealed the deal.

8. 2011 Wimbledon finals

Winner: Djokovic 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3

Djokovic was 0-5 towards Nadal in Slams thus far, however after successful the Australian Open and taking 4 in a row towards Nadal within the spring of 2011, he was ultraconfident, and it confirmed. The 24-year-old dedicated solely 16 unforced errors in 4 units, outserved Nadal and formally grew to become the game’s dominant drive. Nadal had gained 4 of the previous 5 Slams, however this was the primary of three straight finals he would lose to Djokovic.

7. 2010 US Open finals

Winner: Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2

The reverse of Friday’s battle in Paris. Nadal gained his third main title in a row and have become the sixth participant to win a profession Grand Slam by buying and selling heavyweight blows with Djokovic and at last sporting him down on the finish. Djokovic was coming off of the most important win of his profession, a five-setter over Roger Federer, and he saved 20 of 26 break factors, however Nadal teed off on his second serve late within the match and pulled away.

6. 2012 French Open finals

Winner: Nadal 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

This was their fourth battle at Roland Garros, and Djokovic had but to take a set. Nadal had already taken him down twice on clay that spring, and this match seemed fairly routine out of the gates. However then Djokovic started touchdown some haymakers. He broke Nadal 3 times within the third set, then instantly did so once more within the fourth set. However then Nadal did what Nadal appeared to all the time do: break again instantly, then merely break his opponent.

5. 2023 French Open semifinals

Winner: Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2

If this had been a best-of-three match, it might need ranked even greater. Nadal raced to a 5-0 lead and simply disposed of fairly just a few early drop-shot makes an attempt from Djokovic. However Djokovic gave the impression to be attempting to take his legs away from him as a lot as something, and it ended up working. Djokovic managed the second set and served for the third at 5-4, however Nadal did Nadal issues to rally and ship it to a tiebreaker. A Djokovic ace gave him a set level, nevertheless, and he closed out the set. Nadal shortly broke within the fourth to deliver hope of a rally, however Djokovic gained the final six video games.

4. 2009 Madrid semifinals

Winner: Nadal 3-6, 7-6, 7-6

Three units, 4 hours. Djokovic genuinely appeared like the higher of the 2 foes for a lot of the best way, however Nadal saved 4 second-set break factors and eked out a tiebreak win. Within the third set, Djokovic acquired an early break earlier than — in fact — Nadal took it proper again. Within the deciding tiebreak, Djokovic earned match factors at 6-5, 7-6 and 9-8, however Nadal saved all of them with two huge winners after enormous rallies and a giant serve. Nadal took the final three factors, and that was that.

Now to the three classics:

3. 2018 Wimbledon semifinals

Winner: Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 10-8

Djokovic’s “I’m again” second. In his first Slam semifinal for the reason that 2016 US Open, Djokovic mainly needed to beat Nadal twice. First, he took two of three units, successful the third in an epic 13-11 tiebreaker. However curfew kicked in, and the combatants needed to return the following day. After Nadal took the fourth set, the 2 engaged of their biggest set. Djokovic served out of a 15-40 jam at 4-all and 7-all, and Nadal needed to save a match level at 7-8.

Lastly, after 5 hours and quarter-hour, Djokovic broke. He then took down Kevin Anderson to win his first Slam in over two years.

2. 2013 French Open semifinals

Winner: Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 9-7

After lacking fairly just a few months with a knee harm, Nadal hit fifth gear in Paris, sweeping Fabio Fognini, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka to achieve the semis, then taking two of three units to go up on Djokovic. He twice went up a break within the fourth set, however Djokovic broke again each instances, gained the fourth-set tiebreaker and shortly went up a break within the fifth. However he by chance touched the web placing away a volley on deuce at 4-3 and Nadal broke again.

Djokovic missed a number of probabilities with blown overheads, and finally Nadal sealed the cope with a break within the sixteenth sport of the set. He then swept David Ferrer to win French Open title No. 8.

1. 2012 Australian Open finals

Winner: Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5

If these two ever prime this match, will probably be the head of what this sport can produce. In some unspecified time in the future, this battle went from athletic to existential. They fought for five hours and 53 minutes on this one. They each needed to sit through the awards ceremony.

After dominating the third set, Djokovic almost sealed the deal within the fourth. However Nadal saved three break factors to take it to a tiebreaker and took it, 7-5. At 4-4 within the fifth set, they produced considered one of their biggest rallies, a 31-shot epic that left Djokovic on his again after an error. Nadal took that sport, however one way or the other Djokovic rallied to take the final three and the match.