Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic keeps adding to his historic Wimbledon winning streak.

The reigning three-time Wimbledon champion is on to the fourth round after a straight-set victory over Miomir Kecmanovic on Friday. He has won 24 consecutive matches at this tournament dating back to 2018.

Joining Djokovic in the Round of 16 will be Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, Elise Mertens and Ons Jabeur.

Here's a recap of the results and notable matches from Friday's action at the All England Club.

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Men's Singles Results

No. 1 Novak Djokovic def. No. 25 Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 6-3, 6-4

No. 5 Carlos Alcaraz def. No. 32 Oscar Otte 6-3, 6-1, 6-2

No. 9 Cameron Norrie def. Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-1, 6-0

No. 10 Jannik Sinner def. No. 20 John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3

Tim van Rijthoven def. No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

No. 23 Frances Tiafoe def. Alexander Bublik 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3), 6-4

No. 30 Tommy Paul def. Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-2, 6-2

Jack Sock def. Maxime Cressy 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1)

Jason Murray Kubler def. Dennis Novak 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

David Goffin def. Ugo Humbert 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5

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Ladies' Singles Results

No. 3 Ons Jabeur def. Diane Parry 6-2, 6-3

Tatjana Maria def. No. 5 Maria Sakkari 6-3, 7-5

No. 12 Jelena Ostapenko def. Irina-Camelia Begu 3-6, 6-1, 6-1

No. 24 Elise Mertens def. No. 15 Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-5

Marie Bouzkova def. No. 28 Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-2, 6-3

Caroline Garcia def. No. 33 Shuai Zhang 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5)

Jule Niemeier def. Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Heather Watson def. Kaja Juvan 7-6 (8-6), 6-2

Full results available at Wimbledon.com.

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Djokovic certainly looks to have hit his stride since dropping the second set in his first round win over Kwon Soon-woo. The men's top seed has won each of his eight sets since then, including in his victory over Kecmanovic.

Novak Djokovic with the lob to win the second set ‼️ pic.twitter.com/4ddhC24Jri

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 1, 2022

Sit back and enjoy...@DjokerNole playing cat and mouse with his compatriot#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/GBaBZvmnu0

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2022

The win also gave Djokovic 24 straight on grass, the third-longest streak in the Open era behind Roger Federer (65) and Bjorn Borg (41).

https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast/status/1542903206262579200

There was some sloppiness from Djokovic on Friday. He committed four double faults, his most in a single match in the tournament thus far. The 35-year-old was able to offset it with a 6-1 advantage in break points and five double faults from Kecmanovic.

Next up for Djokovic will be a showdown with Tim van Rijthoven in the fourth round. This is the first head-to-head meeting between the two.

This is Van Rijthoven's first Wimbledon appearance. The 25-year-old has defeated No. 15 Reilly Opelka and No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili in his past two matches.

Alcaraz's ascent to stardom this season continued with his best performance of the tournament thus far. He only dropped six games in a three-set win over Oscar Otte. The 19-year-old had 37 winners and broke Otte's serve six times.

We could watch this @carlosalcaraz forehand winner over and over 😍#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/6g82f4ShPi

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2022

"I played unbelievable today," Alcaraz told reporters after his win. "This was my best performance so far. I'm really happy with the level, and I will try to keep this level into the next round."

Things figure to start getting more difficult for Alcaraz going forward. The Spanish star will take on No. 10 Jannik Sinner, who sent John Isner packing in straight sets, in the fourth round.

Moving to the ladies' bracket, Ons Jabeur barely had to break a sweat with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Diane Parry that took just 68 minutes to complete. The No. 3 seed has won her first three matches in just over three hours combined (186 minutes).

Jabeur was nearly flawless with four aces, no double faults, five break points and 22 winners. She capped off Friday's win with 14 consecutive points.

14 consecutive points to win the match from @Ons_Jabeur...

Including this stunner 😍#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/SDsmS2lRBu

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2022

Things did not go as well for fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari. The 26-year-old was stunned by Tatjana Maria in straight sets to become the second top-five seed to be sent home in the first week (No. 2 Anett Kontaveit).

Sakkari's serve and return game weren't working for her Friday. She committed six double faults with just three aces and only converted one of seven break-point chances.

Maria is into the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career. Per OptaAce, she is the oldest German woman in the Open era to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam event (34 years, 328 days).

Coming into Wimbledon, Maria hadn't won a match in the main draw at a Grand Slam tournament since the 2018 U.S. Open.

Saturday's schedule will feature Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Iga Swiatek, Paula Badosa and Coco Gauff in action.

Novak Djokovic is on to the third round at Wimbledon for the 13th consecutive year.

The men's No. 1 seed took out Thanasi Kokkinakis in straight sets Wednesday. Djokovic dropped a total of seven games in his 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win. He hasn't lost in the first two rounds of this tournament since 2008.

Day 3 at the All England Club was also highlighted by John Isner sending Andy Murray home, as well as several top-10 upsets from the men's and women's brackets. Casper Ruud, Anett Kontaveit, Garbine Muguruza and Emma Raducanu were all sent home.

Here's a roundup of the latest results from Wimbledon.

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Men's Singles Results

No. 1 Novak Djokovic def. Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

Ugo Humbert def. No. 3 Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4

No. 5 Carlos Alcaraz def. Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-6 (0), 6-3

No. 9 Cameron Norrie def. Jaume Munar 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2

No. 10 Jannik Sinner def. Mikael Ymer 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2

No. 20 John Isner def. Andy Murray 6-4, 7-6 (4), (3) 6-7, 6-4

No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili def. Quentin Halys 7-6 (9-7), 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5)

No. 23 Frances Tiafoe def. Maximilian Marterer 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3)

No. 25 Miomir Kecmanovic def. Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3

No. 30 Tommy Paul def. Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-4, 6-1

David Goffin def. No. 31 Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-2, 6-4

No. 32 Oscar Otte def. Christian Harrison 3-1 (Retired)

Steve Johnson def. Ryan Peniston 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

Alexander Bublik def. Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (9-7), 6-2, 7-5

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Women's Singles Results

Jule Niemeier def. No. 2 Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-0

No. 3 Ons Jabeur def. Katarzyna Kawa 6-4, 6-0

No. 5 Maria Sakkari def. Viktoriya Tomova 6-4, 6-3

No. 6 Karolina Pliskova def. Tereza Martincova 7-6 (1), 7-5

No. 8 Jessica Pegula def. Donna Vekic 6-3, 7-6 (2)

Greet Minnen def. No. 9 Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 6-0

Caroline Garcia def. No. 10 Emma Raducanu 6-3, 6-3

No. 12 Jelena Ostapenko def. Yanina Wickmayer 6-2, 6-2

No. 15 Angelique Kerber def. Magda Linette 6-3, 6-3

Tatjana Maria def. No. 26 Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 1-6, 7-5

No. 28 Alison Riske-Amritraj def. Maja Chwalinska 3-6, 6-1, 6-0

Lesia Tsurenko def. No. 29 Anhelina Kalinina 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

No. 33 Shuai Zhang def. Marta Kostyuk 7-6 (8-6), 6-2

Harriet Dart def. Rebeka Masarova 6-1, 6-4

Marie Bouzkova def. Ann Li 6-3, 6-0

Diane Parry def. Mai Hontama 6-3, 6-2

Irina-Camelia Begu def. Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-4, 6-4

Full results at Wimbledon.com

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After a slight stumble in his opening-round match against Soonwoo Kwon, Djokovic looked like his normal self Wednesday.

Third round bound 🇷🇸@DjokerNole defeats Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours on Centre Court #Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/o31o0XUvKq

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 29, 2022

Djokovic came out of the gate on fire, winning the first three games and breaking Kokkinakis' serve twice in the first set. He jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second set before the Australian tried to make things interesting by winning three of the next five games.

Back on serve leading 5-4, Djokovic got Kokkinakis to commit four forced errors to take the game and go up by two sets. The six-time Wimbledon champion needed just 39 minutes to close out the third set and the match.

Djokovic's return game was the key to his success in the second round. He only had one ace and three double-faults but won five of his 13 break-point opportunities and had a 30-8 advantage in net points.

"I'm very happy with my performance. I started very well, solid from the back of the court, made him work for every point and worked him around the court," Djokovic said on the court after his win.

Wednesday marked Djokovic's 23rd consecutive victory at Wimbledon dating back to 2018. He's five wins away from becoming the first person with four straight titles at this event since Roger Federer (2003-07).

The top half of the men's bracket took a hit with Ruud's stunning four-set loss to Ugo Humbert. The French Open runner-up looked good early with a 6-3 first-set win that saw him go 3-of-3 on break points.

Humbert, who committed 15 unforced errors in the opening set, quickly course-corrected to earn his first win over a seeded opponent all season.

The third set was arguably the crowning achievement of Humbert's career in a Grand Slam tournament. He went back on serve trailing 3-0 and hit three winners to get his first game in the set.

Humbert broke Ruud's serve in the next game and had four more winners in the fifth game to square the set 3-3. After Ruud went back up 5-4 later in the set, Humbert took the final three games to go up a set.

Serving for the match in the fourth set, Humbert got Ruud to commit a forced error to make his first appearance in the third round at Wimbledon since 2019.

Ugo powers through Ruud ⚡️@HumbertUgo defeats No.3 seed Casper Ruud in four sets, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/C2O3evTBbx

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 29, 2022

Based on the current ATP rankings, Djokovic (No. 3), Rafael Nadal (No. 4), Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 5) and Carlos Alcaraz (No. 7) are the only players in the top 10 left in the tournament.

Isner, who is No. 24 in the ATP rankings, advanced to the third round for the first time since 2018. He took out Murray in a four-set thriller that lasted nearly three-and-a-half hours.

As is often the case, Isner's powerful serve made a huge difference in the win. The American hit 36 aces, including two in the final game to set up match point. He hit a backhand volley to secure the win.

Ended in style 💫@JohnIsner secures a superb Centre Court victory, defeating Andy Murray 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-7(3), 6-4#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/QH5jUUJcSe

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 29, 2022

Murray put forth a valiant effort by forcing tiebreaks in the second and third sets. He won the third-set tiebreak to avoid losing in straight sets. The 35-year-old took a 2-1 lead in the fourth set before Isner won three straight games to regain control.

The women's bracket was thrown for a loop Wednesday with three of the top 10 seeds being sent home.

Kontaveit continues to have a nightmare season in Grand Slam tournaments. She lost in the second round at the Australian Open, dropped her first match at the French Open and was stunned by Jule Niemeier in straight sets at Wimbledon.

This was Kontaveit's first tournament since Roland Garros, as she has been suffering from the after-effects of COVID-19.

Niemeier, 22, is competing at Wimbledon for the first time in her career. She will take on unseeded Lesia Tsurenko in the third round Friday.

Raducanu's quest to win her second Grand Slam title will have to wait. The 19-year-old was defeated in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 by Caroline Garcia.

Garcia was able to take advantage of Raducanu's struggles on serve in the win. Raducanu didn't have an ace, committed three double-faults and allowed her opponent to go 5-of-8 on break points.

Despite her abrupt exit from Wimbledon, Raducanu did have a good perspective about things after the match.

"There's no pressure. Like, why is there any pressure? I'm still 19. Like, it's a joke. I literally won a Slam," she told reporters. "Yes, I have had attention. But I'm a Slam champion, so no one's going to take that away from me. Yeah, if anything, the pressure is on those who haven't done that."

Ninth-seeded Garbine Muguruza also found herself bitten by the upset bug. Belgium's Greet Minnen sent Muguruza home with a 6-4, 6-0 win. The 24-year-old is on to the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the second time in her career (2021 U.S. Open).

The rest of the second round will be played Thursday, with Nadal, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff among the marquee players in action.

Unless the rules put in place by the United States government change before the end of August, Novak Djokovic will not be adding to his resume at the 2022 U.S. Open.

The tennis star said he does not plan on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine before the tournament begins on Aug. 29, per Adam Zagoria of Forbes. Foreigners who are not vaccinated are not currently permitted to enter the United States.

"I'll just have to wait and see," he said. "I would love to go to States. But as of today, that's not possible. There is not much I can do anymore. I mean, it's really up to the U.S. government to make a decision whether or not they allow unvaccinated people to go into the country."

Vaccines have proven to be safe and effective, but that is apparently not in his plans. His decision not to receive the vaccine also cost him the chance to compete in the United States in the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in March.

Most notably, Djokovic was deported before the start of the Australian Open in January because he remained unvaccinated. Rafael Nadal went on to win that tournament, which was the 21st Grand Slam championship of his career and broke a tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer for the most men's singles titles at majors.

Nadal also won the French Open this year, which means he is two ahead of Djokovic even though they started 2022 tied at 20 titles.

Three of Djokovic's 20 major championships have come at the U.S. Open, although he has not won the tournament since 2018. He reached the final last year only to lose to Daniil Medvedev, which prevented the 35-year-old from completing the Grand Slam in 2021 after winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.

It seems as if he will not be winning the U.S. Open this year either.

Serena Williams will be at the All England Club for the 2022 Wimbledon tournament, but she'll look to make her mark as an unseeded wild card.

The seedings for the men's and women's bracket were released Tuesday, and Williams expectedly failed to draw a seed after her yearlong absence from the sport. She has not played competitive tennis since withdrawing in the first round of last year's Wimbledon, causing her to fall to No. 1,223 in the world.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal sit as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, on the men's side of the bracket. Daniil Medvedev, the world's top-ranked player, is not eligible to compete at Wimbledon after the All England Club banned Russian and Belarusian players following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. World No. 2 Alexander Zverev is dealing with an ankle injury and will not participate.

Wimbledon seedings are determined by official rankings.

Draws for the tournament will be held Friday, a day that could prove critical for Williams as she looks to get back into major championship form. Likewise, her wild-card status will likely cast fear into seeded opponents who will hope to avoid the 23-time Grand Slam winner in the early rounds.

By virtue of landing the top two seeds, Nadal and Djokovic would not meet until a potential matchup in the finals.

Nadal defeated Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the 2022 French Open on his way to winning a record-extending 14th title at Roland Garros. Djokovic was barred from the Australian Open over his COVID-19 vaccination status and lost in France, leaving him halfway through the Grand Slam schedule without a title.

With Nadal having won the first two majors of the season, he has a two-championship lead over Djokovic for the all-time record.

Daniil Medvedev is the new No. 1 in men's singles tennis, passing Novak Djokovic ahead of Wimbledon.

It's the second time Medvedev has moved into the top spot in 2022, although the Russian won't get a chance to take advantage at the upcoming major. Wimbledon begins later this month, but the All England Lawn Tennis Club banned all Russian and Belarusian players from the event after the invasion of Ukraine.

Alexander Zverev moves to No. 2 after reaching the semifinals at the French Open, while Djokovic fell to No. 3. It's the lowest Djokovic has been ranked since October 2018.

Djokovic was dominant in 2021, winning five tournaments and nearly capturing the Grand Slam. He earned titles at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon before losing in the final of the U.S. Open to Medvedev.

The 35-year-old has not been able to recreate this success in 2022 and has dropped a significant number of points in the rankings.

Djokovic was unable to compete at the Australian Open because of his vaccination status, and his only title came at the Rome Masters. He suffered a quarterfinal loss in the French Open to eventual champion Rafael Nadal.

Nadal remains No. 4, although he has only competed in 10 tournaments over the past year that count toward the rankings.

Medvedev and Zverev have been more active, each with at least 20 events to help them gain points.

Zverev won six titles in 2021 and reached the semifinals at Roland Garros, his third semifinal appearance in his last five Grand Slams. Medvedev only reached the round of 16 in Paris, although a win at the U.S. Open and a finals appearance at the Australian Open go a long way toward grabbing the top spot.

Casper Ruud is a career-high No. 5 in the rankings after reaching the French Open final.

Half of the French Open semifinal field is set after an exhilarating day of tennis at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

Here's a look at the day's winners, scores, notable stats, recaps and highlights alongside the latest draw.

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Women's Scores

No. 18 Coco Gauff def. Sloane Stephens: 7-5, 6-2

Martina Trevisan def. No. 17 Leylah Fernandez: 6-2, (3) 6-7, 6-3

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Women's Quarterfinals Draw (Wednesday)

No. 20 Daria Kasatkina vs. No. 29 Veronika Kudermetova

No. 1 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 11 Jessica Pegula

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Women's SemifinalsDraw (Thursday)

No. 18 Coco Gauff vs. Martina Trevisan

Swiatek/Pegula winner vs. Kasatkina/Kudermetova winner

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Men's Scores

No. 5 Rafael Nadal def. No. 1 Novak Djokovic: 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4)

No. 3 Alexander Zverev def. No. 6 Carlos Alcaraz: 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7)

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Men's Draw QuarterfinalsDraw (Wednesday)

No. 7 Andrey Rublev vs. No. 20 Marin Cilic

No. 8 Casper Ruud vs. Holger Rune

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Men's Semifinals Draw (Friday)

No. 3 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 5 Rafael Nadal

Rublev/Cilic winner vs. Ruud/Rune winner

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Stats, Recaps and Highlights

Coco Gauff's remarkable, astounding run to the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2019 as a 15-year-old foreshadowed future success, and the time may be now as she advanced to the semifinals with a straight-set win over Sloane Stephens.

Coco Gauff, 18, is the youngest major semifinalist since Amanda Anisimova advanced to the 2019 #RolandGarros semifinals at 17. pic.twitter.com/YNZZVQJQyR

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) May 31, 2022

She's been on fire all tournament by winning 10-of-10 sets:

Coco Gauff is advancing to her first career major semifinal 👏

The 18 year old has yet to lose a set at this year's French Open 💪 pic.twitter.com/mKbHZYCLnl

— ESPN (@espn) May 31, 2022

Gauff has found herself in great company thanks to her efforts:

Coco Gauff becomes the 3rd American woman 18 or under to advance to a Grand Slam semifinal since 2000 (Serena Williams, Amanda Anisimova).#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/XioC8afJh0

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 31, 2022

Gauff will face Martina Trevisan, the only unseeded player remaining in the women's draw. She defeated 2021 U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez to get the job done.

Trevisan is the first Italian women to make a Grand Slam singles semifinal in seven years.

FORZA!

Martina Trevisan is the first 🇮🇹 woman to make a Grand Slam singles SF since Pennetta & Vinci in our '15 final. pic.twitter.com/4LgKsAL6ox

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) May 31, 2022

Like Gauff, Trevisan is also coming into the semifinals in great form:

https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast/status/1531614623044075520

This marks the first time Trevisan has reached a Grand Slam semifinal round. Roland Garros has been good to Trevisan in the past, as she reached the quarterfinals in 2020.

On the men's side, Rafael Nadal looked like he would cruise, up a set and a double break, but Novak Djokovic battled back to win the second set. Undeterred, Nadal took the third set and won the fourth with a tiebreaker after finding himself down 5-2.

INCREDIBLE in Paris... again!

13 times champion Rafael Nadal comes back from 2-5 down in the 4th set to beat #1 and defending champ Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) in 4h10 and reach the semifinals at #RolandGarros for a 15th time.

36th career Grand Slam semifinal. pic.twitter.com/ZPHJnBeRRb

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) May 31, 2022

Nadal, who turns 36 on Friday, is going for his men's record 22nd Grand Slam singles title and his 14th French Open. His longevity, frankly, is unmatched on the men's side.

when nadal reached his first roland garros quarterfinal they were:

alcaraz 2 years old
rune 2 years old
sinner 4 years old
ruud 6 years old
tsitsipas 6 years old
rublev 7 years old
hurkacz 8 years old
zverev 8 years old
medvedev 9 years old pic.twitter.com/bdIvkppruZ

— enrico maria riva (@enricomariariva) May 29, 2022

Nadal has set up a date with Alexander Zverev, who beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to reach his fifth-ever Grand Slam semifinal and second at the French Open.

Alexander Zverev is into the #RolandGarros semifinals for a 2nd consecutive year, beating Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7) to reach the top 4 in Paris.

- First career top 10 win in a Grand Slam.
- 4th man to beat Alcaraz in 2022.

What a performance (and match!). pic.twitter.com/zQLuBTuMGI

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) May 31, 2022

Nadal is 6-3 lifetime against Zverev, but Zverev is 3-1 in his last four matches in that matchup. However, Nadal is also 4-1 on clay against the 25-year-old German.

Zverev will be a tough test, though, especially after a big win against an excellent opponent in Alcaraz:

Impressive, most impressive.

Alexander Zverev earns his highest-ranked win at a Grand Slam. pic.twitter.com/h4nJF4vWD3

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) May 31, 2022

Zverev is also the reigning Olympic gold medalist in men's tennis, having beat Karen Khachanov in Tokyo last summer.

It was a quarterfinal fitting of a final, and Novak Djokovic felt Rafael Nadal deserved to win.

"He was just able to take his tennis to another level in those particular moments in the beginning of all sets, except the fourth," Djokovic told reporters after Nadal's four-set victory on Tuesday. "...I had my chances … he showed why he's a great champion, staying mentally tough ... he deserved it."

While Nadal won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4), it seemed as if the two legends would trade sets on the way to a decisive fifth.

After all, Nadal took the first and third, while Djokovic took the second and held a 5-2 lead in the fourth. That's when the 13-time French Open champion reached "another level" and rallied back to force a tiebreak that he won with relative ease.

It was more of the same at Roland Garros for the Spaniard, who also defeated Djokovic in the 2020 final. While the Serbian won in the 2021 semifinals, bragging rights are now back on the side of the King of Clay.

He also extended his record to a stunning 101-1 at the French Open when winning the first set.

Nadal already passed Djokovic and Roger Federer with his 21st Grand Slam title when he won the Australian Open in January. He is two victories away from adding to his overall legacy and record at the French Open, but things won't come easy even after defeating a fellow great.

He will face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals after the No. 3 seed defeated Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in another quarterfinals match.

Nadal holds a 6-3 advantage in head-to-head matches, although Zverev has won three of the last four.         

Maybe it's time to rename it Rafa Garros.

Rafael Nadal bested longtime rival Novak Djokovic on Tuesday in French Open quarterfinals action, moving one step closer to a 14th Roland Garros triumph behind yet another absolutely classic match.

🤩 What a set! What a comeback! 🤩

🤔 Is 14 next for @RafaelNadal ?#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/0Wa4mjZoau

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

Cutting shapes 🕺📐@RafaelNadal | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/gvgMh9eaCF

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

Nadal wrapped it up in four sets, but it was a marathon of a match, with his 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) victory lasting over four hours.

As always when these two titans of the sport face off, Tuesday's match was one for the books:

Djokovic vs Nadal is a breathtaking match WOW.

— Stefo (@stefanovski39) May 31, 2022

Can't think of a better rivalry in sports today. Not a huge tennis fan, but if Nadal and Djokovic are playing I'm tuning in.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 31, 2022

Novak Djokovic beating Nadal in the #RolandGarros semifinals last year was one of the greatest wins of his career.

Rafael Nadal beating Djokovic in the #RolandGarros quarterfinals tonight was one of the greatest wins of his career.

6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).

4h12m

1:15 am.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 31, 2022

Just give Rafael Nadal the keys to Paris. He owns it. Wow! What a match.

— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) May 31, 2022

The standard of this Nadal v Djokovic match is unreal. To go at it with this quality for over 4 hours is ridiculous

— Richard Heath (@richheath47) May 31, 2022

INCREDIBLE in Paris... again!

13 times champion Rafael Nadal comes back from 2-5 down in the 4th set to beat #1 and defending champ Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) in 4h10 and reach the semifinals at #RolandGarros for a 15th time.

36th career Grand Slam semifinal. pic.twitter.com/ZPHJnBeRRb

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) May 31, 2022

Nadal does it again, still alive for his 14th French Open title. 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 in a bruising match of four-plus hours. After needing five sets to beat Auger-Aliassime two days ago, does he have enough gas left to reach the finish line one more time?

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) May 31, 2022

If you want to know what an emotional rollercoaster is like, you need to watch a Nadal vs Djokovic tennis match 🙃

— No One Negative Face (@la_jupiter8) May 31, 2022

Nadal and Djokovic have been playing since Saturday.

— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) May 31, 2022

How good is this rivalry? The all-time series is now 30-29 in favor of Djokovic.

It's incredible that Nadal, at 35 years old and clearly battling through the lingering effects of several ongoing injuries, can still play at this level against elite competition.

But it was just as incredible to watch Djokovic, himself 35, push the greatest player in the history of the French Open to such lengths, never giving an inch.

"Against Novak there is only one way to play, at your best from the first point to last," Nadal said after the match.

It is rare, if not unparalleled, to see the three greatest players in the history of their sport play at the same time. But such has been the case for men's tennis in the past two decades, as Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer have wrestled for the crown.

It is Nadal, with 21 Grand Slam triumphs, who holds the lead over his rivals, with Djokovic and Federer just behind at 20 apiece. Perhaps it will be 22 soon enough.

Who will bet against Nadal at this point?

They don't call him the King of Clay for nothing.

Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic in Tuesday's thrilling four-set match between two of tennis' ultimate titans in the 2022 French Open quarterfinals, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).

NADAL WINS! #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/QYPz8NCuqI

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

WHAT. A. MATCH. 🤯

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

This match felt inevitable from the moment the men's singles draw was released, and it took on the atmosphere of a championship bout from the opening point. After all, Nadal is a 13-time French Open champion, but Djokovic just defeated him in the 2021 semifinals and broke a stretch of three losses in four matches against the Spaniard.

Djokovic is also the top-ranked player in the world and held a 30-28 head-to-head advantage entering Tuesday's match.

Yet the French Open has historically belonged to Nadal, and he won the 2020 final against Djokovic. He also passed his counterpart and Roger Federer's mark of 20 Grand Slam titles when he won his 21st with his Australian Open victory in January.

The resumes and recent history between the two all-time greats served as the backdrop, and Nadal wasted little time seizing momentum with a 6-2 win in the opening set.

Like a thief in the night 🥷@RafaelNadal | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/RfVnERtEjs

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

Cutting shapes 🕺📐@RafaelNadal | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/gvgMh9eaCF

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

He won two of the four break points he created and also prevented Djokovic from consistently generating similar opportunities by winning eight of 10 second-serve points.

Yet the No. 1 seed ensured this would be anything but a quick match by breaking Nadal three times in the second set in a much-needed returning performance since the 13-time French Open winner also broke him twice in the same set.

Nadal bounced back in the third set, and it appeared as if Djokovic would have no trouble forcing a decisive fifth when he jumped out to a 4-1 and 5-2 lead in the fourth. However, Nadal rallied back with a break and timely serves to force a tiebreak.

The momentum was firmly on his side at that point, and he never looked back.

In all, the victor won 71 percent of his first-service points and capitalized on seven of the 17 break points he created. That was enough to prevail on the stage he has enjoyed so much success, and he is just two wins away from a 14th French Open title.

Now that Nadal dispatched one of his fellow greats, he will face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. Zverev outlasted Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set match that ended in a tiebreak in the quarterfinals and is also 3-1 in his last four matches against his next opponent.

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*All stats are courtesy of the tournament's official website.

The French Open quarterfinals are set after Monday's matches, and there are some fantastic face-offs on tap. 

Below, we'll take a look at each remaining matchup as the field has dwindled to eight in the men's and women's bracket at Roland Garros.

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Men's QF Matchups

No. 3 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 6 Carlos Alcaraz (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. ET)

No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 5 Rafael Nadal (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET)

No. 8 Casper Ruud vs. Holger Rune (Wednesday, TBD)

No. 7 Andrey Rublev vs. No. 20 Marin Cilic (Wednesday, TBD)

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Women's QF Matchups

No. 17 Leylah Annie Fernandez vs. Martina Trevisan (Tuesday, 6 a.m. ET)

No. 18 Coco Gauff vs. Sloane Stephens (7:30 a.m. ET)

No. 20 Daria Kasatkina vs. No. 29 Veronika Kudermetova (Wednesday, TBD)

No. 1 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 11 Jessica Pegula (Wednesday, TBD)

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Preview

The most anticipated matchup, obviously, will be between Djokovic and Nadal, who have combined to win 15 of the past 17 titles at Roland Garros. 

And that, of course, flatters Djokovic, seeing as how Nadal has won 13 of those titles and is the greatest French Open player in history. 

The King of Clay at work. 💯

Reliving @RafaelNadal's win from over the weekend that put him through to the quarterfinal as he seeks his 14th French Open title. #RolandGarros

📺 @nbc and @peacockTV
💻 https://t.co/GNpL69C98O pic.twitter.com/lkItYdnf9B

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 30, 2022

Djokovic-Nadal is one of the great rivalries in the sport, with Djokovic holding a narrow 30-28 head-to-head advantage in the career matchup. But Nadal holds a 7-2 lead in the French Open. They've only met before the semifinals twice, splitting two quarterfinal showdowns.

Nadal, meanwhile, is 3-0 against Djokovic in the final at Roland Garros.

French Open history suggests that Nadal is the favorite on his preferred clay surface, though Djokovic has won two of the past three French Open matchups, including in last year's semifinals.

All eyes in the tennis world will be fixated on this epic showdown.

There are, of course, three other matches in the men's bracket, though none will offer quite the same intrigue as Djokovic-Nadal. 

Zverev holds a 2-1 head-to-head matchup against Alcaraz, though the latter man won the sole clay matchup (this year's Madrid Open final). Zverev is looking to match his run to the semifinals last year and pick up a first Grand Slam title in the process, while Alcaraz has already made his deepest-ever run at Roland Garros. 

Ruud should be the heavy favorite against Rune, having won all three previous matches between the pair, with all three coming on clay courts in the past two years. He has yet to drop a set in the matchup, though it took a 7-6, 7-5 scoreline to get past Rune in Monte Carlo this year. 

Finally, Rublev holds a career 4-2 advantage in his head-to-head matchups with Cilic, though Cilic won the lone clay showdown between the men and also won the last time they faced, in the Round of 32 at this year's Australian Open. 

On the women's side, three Americans—Gauff, Stephens and Pegula—will be gunning for glory at Roland Garros, with the matchup between Gauff and Stephens one of the most intriguing showdowns of the tournament. 

Surprisingly, the two Americans have only faced each other once, with Stephens beating Gauff at the 2021 U.S. Open. Gauff is seeking her first-ever Grand Slam title in her second straight trip to the Roland Garros quarters, while Stephens—who won the 2017 U.S. Open and reached the 2018 French Open final—is looking to return to the form that saw her climb as high as No. 3 in the rankings back in 2018. 

The 18-year-old Gauff is one of four teenagers in the quarterfinals, joining Rune, Fernandez and Alcaraz.

"I really am just enjoying the tournament, enjoying life," Gauff told reporters Sunday. "I'm not thinking about, you know, the end result. I'm just enjoying the match ahead of me and whatever happens, happens—it's out of my control. I'm going to give it my best either way."

"I really love doing this!" 🎾

We really love watching you @CocoGauff 🧡 pic.twitter.com/1Hk63TzzBd

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2022

Pegula, meanwhile, will try to unseat Swiatek, who has only won a paltry 32 straight matches and has dropped just one set at Roland Garros during this tournament. 

The 20-year-old Swiatek won this tournament in 2020, has emerged as the top-ranked player in the women's game and has five tournament triumphs to her name. No player in the women's game is currently playing better.

Her and Pegula have split their two lifetime matches, however. The pair are the only players ranked in the top 15 still remaining in the women's field. 

Fernandez will face the unseeded Trevisan in the first quarterfinal on Tuesday, the first time the two have faced, with the 17-seed the prohibitive favorite. It will be the first seeded player Trevisan has faced at this year's French Open in her impressive run to the quarters. 

Finally, a pair of Russian players, Kasatkina and Kudermetova, round out the remaining field. Kasatkina has won the only professional meeting between the pair. 

"I'm excited about the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, most important," Kasatkina told reporters. "It doesn't matter who is on the other side of the net.''