Rafael Nadal beats Novak Djokovic to reach eighth French Open final

Friday's first semi-final had been the focus of attention ever since the draw paired Djokovic and Nadal in the same half, and it did not disappoint.
While not quite matching the five hours and 53 minutes of their 2012 Australian Open final, there was drama every step of the way.
Rafael Nadal won the 35th - and arguably most extraordinary – meeting with Novak Djokovic when the Serb’s concentration finally cracked to allow him into yet another French Open final.
Rafa Nadal displayed the athleticism and self-belief that earned him seven French Open titles to tame world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7(3) 9-7 in a pulsating 4-1/2 hour Roland Garros semi-final on Friday.

While Djokovic contemplates missing a chance to add the one Grand Slam title he is missing to his collection, Nadal was left waiting for the winner of the other semi-final between Jo Wilfried Tsonga and David Ferrer, which would not begin before 6.15pm due to another marathon between the two great rivals.
In a match of high-drama featuring a point penalty, a near tumble over the net and trick-shot mishaps, it was the sinew-stretching rallies that made the difference as Nadal withstood Djokovic's baseline onslaught to extend his run at the claycourt major to a jaw-dropping 58-1.

Nadal had stood two points from the final in the fourth set when he inexplicably let Djokovic off the hook by dropping serve at 6-5 up.
Djokovic blitzed through the fourth set tiebreak 7-3 and then streaked into a 4-2 lead in the decider when Nadal's fighting instincts kicked in to leave the Serb floundering.

A forehand long on match point secured Nadal an unprecedented eighth appearance in the Paris final and a meeting against either home hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.
"It's very, very special for me," said Nadal. "I want to congratulate Novak, he's a great champion and he will win here at Roland Garros one day, I'm sure.
"Serving for the match at 6-5 in the fourth, I was serving against the wind, so I knew it was going to be a difficult game. I was ready for the fight. In Australia 2012 it was a similar match - today it was me [that won]. That's the great thing about sport."

World number one Djokovic said: "It's been an unbelievable match to be part of, but all I can feel now is disappointment. That's it. I congratulate him, because that's why he's a champion.

"That's why he's been ruling Roland Garros for many years, and for me it's another year."

What a match ...what a match ...what a match ...have I said it enough? What a match.