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French Open 2022 Men's Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Casper Ruud Predictions

Jun 4, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal is the most decorated men's tennis player of all time, having won 21 Grand Slam titles. The 36-year-old Spaniard has racked up the majority of those championships at the French Open, a tournament he has dominated for nearly two decades.

Now, Nadal is again preparing to play in the men's singles final at Roland Garros. The No. 5 seed in this year's French Open, Nadal will face No. 8 seed Casper Ruud for the title on Sunday. If Nadal is victorious, he'll earn his 14th title at the tournament. His first 13 have all come since 2005, and there have been only four French Opens that Nadal hasn't won since his first.

Ruud, a 23-year-old from Norway, will be playing in the final of a Grand Slam event for the first time. He had previously never made it past the fourth round at a major tournament, and he didn't make it past the third round in any of his four previous French Open appearances.

Here's everything else you need to know about the 2022 French Open men's singles final.

Men's Singles Final Information

Date: Sunday, June 5

Start Time: 9 a.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live Stream: Peacock

Preview, Prediction

It's no surprise that Nadal has reached the French Open final considering the success he's experienced at this tournament. Coming into this year's tournament, it seemed likely that Nadal's biggest obstacle would be a probable quarterfinal matchup vs. Novak Djokovic, the reigning champion and No. 1 seed.

Nadal and Djokovic met in the quarters, but the match wasn't quite as close as some had anticipated. Nadal won in four sets, recording a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) victory.

Alexander Zverev, the No. 3 seed, was Nadal's semifinal opponent, and the 25-year-old German was capable of playing a close match. However, Zverev had to retire during the second set because of an ankle injury. Nadal had won the first set 7-6(8), and the second set was tied at 6-6 when Zverev ended it.

Now, Nadal and Ruud will face off for the first time. Although the two have never met on the court, Ruud trained at Nadal's academy in Mallorca, Spain.

"He's a perfect example of how you should behave on court: Never give up and never complain. He's been my idol for all my life," Ruud said, per Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press. "I guess this is perfect timing and worth the wait to finally play him in a Grand Slam final."

It's a great opportunity for Ruud, but he'll be a clear underdog in the match. And it seems highly likely that things will go in Nadal's favor.

In fact, the prediction here is that Nadal will win in three straight sets and not face much adversity during the match. He has a lot more experience than Ruud, particularly at the French Open. So it's hard to imagine Nadal not winning the final in dominant fashion.

Even though Nadal has dealt with left foot trouble in recent years, he continues to find his way back to Grand Slam finals. He won the Australian Open earlier in 2022, and now he'll have an opportunity to begin the year 2-0 in major tournaments.

"All the sacrifices, and all the things that I need to go through to try to keep playing really make sense when you enjoy moments like I'm enjoying in this tournament," Nadal said, per Fendrich.

There's one more enjoyable moment coming for Nadal this year at Roland Garros: Another French Open title.

Prediction: Nadal wins in three straight sets

French Open 2022: Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud Set Up Showdown in Men's Final

Jun 3, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The 2022 French Open is nearing its conclusion, with Friday featuring four semifinal matches in two different groups.

Rafael Nadal will compete for his 14th career title in this tournament after a victory over Alexander Zverev. The match ended in the second set when Zverev suffered an ankle injury.

After a medical timeout, Zverev came back onto the court with a pair of crutches unable to put pressure on his right ankle.

Nadal will take on Casper Ruud for the championship on Sunday. The eighth-seeded Ruud is playing in his first Grand Slam tournament final after defeating Marin Cilic in four sets.

In addition to the men's matches, the women's doubles semifinals also took place. Coco Gauff, who will play for the women's singles title on Saturday, advanced to the doubles final with Jessica Pegula. They defeated fellow Americans Madison Keys and Taylor Townsend in straight sets.

2022 French Open Results - Friday, June 3

Men's Semifinal: Rafael Nadal def. Alexander Zverev, 7-6 (8), 6-6 (retired)

Men's Semifinal: Casper Ruud def. Marin Cilic, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2,

Women's Doubles: Coco Gauff/Jessica Pegula def. Madison Keys/Taylor Townsend, 6-4, 7-6 (4)

Women's Doubles: Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic def. Lyudmyla Kichenok/Jelena Ostapenko, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2

Day 13 Recap

Prior to the injury, Zverev was doing a fantastic job of trading blows with Nadal through two sets.

The German star looked to be on his way to winning the first set. He held serve to take a 4-2 lead after six games. Nadal quickly turned things around, winning four straight points in the next game and breaking Zverev's serve to even the set.

In the tiebreak, Zverev was serving for the set with a 6-4 advantage. Nadal was able to stay alive with one incredible shot that kept the rally alive and a forehand running across the court and back across his body that Zverev couldn't get to.

Nadal won six of the final eight points in the tiebreak to take the first set. The second set was a lot more of the same, with both trading games throughout.

The highlight of the match came on the final point in the third game. Nadal won a 44-shot rally after Zverev committed an unforced error.

Zverev took a 5-3 lead and was on serve with a chance to close out the set. Nadal was able to break him to win the game, and the Spaniard held serve to even the match again.

Trailing 6-5, Nadal held serve to square the set one more time. Zverev hurt his ankle on the final point of the game.

Ruud has had an arduous run through the tournament. The 23-year-old has had to play at least four sets in five of his six matches. His third-round match against Lorenzo Sonego went five sets, with Ruud winning the final two sets to avoid being sent home.

Cilic got the early advantage over Ruud in the first set by winning four straight games after falling behind 3-2. The match quickly turned in favor of Ruud from that point. He had seven of his 16 aces in the second set.

The third set was pretty much all Ruud. He won the first four games, capping off the third game with this fantastic winner to break Cilic.

Things continued to go in Ruud's favor in the fourth and final set. He broke Cilic's serve in the first game and polished off the second game with an ace.

Ruud put an exclamation point on the win with a 124-mph ace on match point. He is the first Norwegian player in history to reach a Grand Slam final.

Sunday's final will mark the first head-to-head meeting between Nadal and Ruud. Nadal has a 30-3 record this season and is looking to win his second consecutive Grand Slam title. He defeated Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final for his record 21st men's singles Slam championship.

Ruud has a 30-9 record in singles matches in 2022. The No. 8 seed can win his second consecutive tournament after a victory at the Geneva Open last month.

Gauff is in the best stretch of her young career. The 18-year-old is in her first Grand Slam final as a singles competitor. She previously reached the women's doubles final of the 2021 U.S. Open with Caty McNally, but they lost to Samantha Stosur and Zhang Shuai.

Playing alongside Pegula, Gauff can be the second woman in two years to win multiple titles at Roland Garros in a single year. Barbora Krejcikova won singles and doubles titles in 2021.

Keys and Townsend took a 2-1 lead in the first set thanks for a forced error by their opponents on the final point of the third game. Gauff and Pegula rebounded by winning three straight games to take control of the set in a 6-4 win.

Things were much closer in the second set. Both teams traded wins through the first eight games. It wasn't until Gauff and Pegula held serve in the eighth and broke Keys and Townsend in the ninth that either side had won consecutive games.

Keys and Townsend returned the favor by winning the next two games to take a 6-5 lead. They were unable to break Gauff and Pegula, who won four straight points in the next game to force a tiebreak.

Gauff and Pegula won six of the first seven points in the tiebreak. They clinched a victory after an unforced error on match point. Keys and Townsend committed 27 unforced errors in the loss.

They will take on the duo of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, who dug themselves out of an early hole to defeat Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko.

The Kichenok-Ostapenko pairing took the first set in 35 minutes. They took advantage of three double-faults and won three out of four break-point opportunities en route to a 6-2 win.

Rafael Nadal Advances to 2022 French Open Men's Final After Alexander Zverev Injury

Jun 3, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Alexander Zverev of Germany receives medical attention following an injury against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Alexander Zverev of Germany receives medical attention following an injury against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal is one win away from his 14th French Open title after Alexander Zverev was forced to withdraw because of an ankle injury suffered in the second set of their semifinal match Friday at Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

Nadal, who captured his record-setting 21st Grand Slam singles championship at the Australian Open in January, already owns five more Coupe des Mousquetaires trophies than any player in history as he heads into another French Open final.

Zverev was putting up a serious fight against The King of Clay before rolling over on his ankle deep in the second set. He left the court in a wheelchair for evaluation and returned with crutches to confirm he couldn't continue:

They engaged in two highly competitive sets before the sudden end to the semifinal.

Everything that's made Nadal incredibly difficult to beat on the clay courts of Roland Garros was on full display in the opening set.

The 35-year-old Spanish superstar dropped his opening service game and spent most of the set playing from behind before finally getting back level at 4-4. He then fell behind 6-2 in the tiebreaker before winning five straight points en route to a 10-8 win.

His ability to defend and willingness to fight for every point puts endless pressure on the opponent, and few over the years have been able to solve the problems he presents at the season's second Grand Slam.

The second set was a battle of the return game as the players combined for eight breaks of serve, and they were about to play another tiebreaker when Zverev suffered the ankle injury on the final point of the 12th game.

He immediately screamed in agony as he fell to the court. Nadal crossed the net to check on his opponent and lamented the "very sad" ending to the match in his post-match interview:

Zverev had already recorded 40 winners when the injury occurred. It was the second straight appearance in the French Open semifinals for the 2021 Olympic gold medalist, who continues to seek his first Grand Slam title.

Meanwhile, Nadal wasn't at his most efficient on Friday, tallying more unforced errors (26) than winners (21), but his clutch play on the most important points gave him the lead before the match's unfortunate finish.

The tournament's No. 5 seed advances to face either No. 8 Casper Ruud or No. 20 Marin Cilic in Sunday's championship match. He holds a 7-2 advantage over Cilic in their prior ATP Tour meetings, while it would be his first matchup with Ruud.

Nadal will be a sizable favorite regardless of who wins the second semifinal.

French Open 2022 Men's Semifinal: Early Preview, Predictions for Updated Bracket

Jun 1, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 31: Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays against Rafael Nadal of Spain in the menâs quarterfinal match during the French Open tennis tournament, Roland âGarros in Paris, France on May 31, 2022. (Photo by Mine Kasapoglu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 31: Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays against Rafael Nadal of Spain in the menâs quarterfinal match during the French Open tennis tournament, Roland âGarros in Paris, France on May 31, 2022. (Photo by Mine Kasapoglu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The king of Roland Garros needs to beat his third top-10 seed in a row to reach the 2022 French Open men's singles final.

Rafael Nadal outdueled top seed Novak Djokovic on Tuesday to set up a semifinal showdown with Alexander Zverev, the No. 5 seed. The Spaniard also ousted No. 9 seed Felix Auger Aliassime in the round of 16.

Nadal is the only man left in the French Open field with multiple major victories to his name, and he is the only player left with a major championship win in the last seven years.

Zverev is a four-time Grand Slam semifinalist and one-time finalist, but he has been unable to break through for a title yet. The German faces one of the toughest challenges in men's tennis on Friday against Nadal on clay.

Marin Cilic holds the advantage in experience over his semifinal opponent. He is appearing in his sixth Grand Slam semifinal following his win over Andrey Rublev on Wednesday.

Casper Ruud will be making his first major semifinal appearance against the Croatian. The No. 8 seed has played well in Paris, but Friday's match brings a new challenge.

Previews

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

Nadal's lower seed is the only thing not in his favor for the semifinal clash with Zverev.

The 13-time French Open winner proved he is still the man to beat at Roland Garros when he took down Djokovic in four sets on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old has played nine sets in his last two matches. The length of those contests may hurt the veteran a bit, but Zverev also played four sets against Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday. Nadal and Zverev both won their matches in a fourth-set tiebreak.

Zverev must be at his best to take down Nadal, but that has not been the case for parts of this tournament. He was pushed to five sets in the second round by Sebastian Baez and has played in four tiebreaks over the last three rounds.

The 25-year-old owns a single win over Nadal on clay after beating the 21-time major champion at the Madrid Masters last year.

However, the German has not defeated the Spaniard at any major. He lost in five sets at the 2017 Australian Open in their only previous meeting in a Grand Slam tournament.

Nadal will be viewed as the favorite because of his lengthy track record at Roland Garros, and he will be more than familiar with recovering from a tough match in the second week of a major.

At the Australian Open, he powered through 14 sets over the last three rounds to claim the first major title of 2022. He beat Denis Shapovalov, Matteo Berrettini and Daniil Medvedev in that stretch.

Zverev might push Nadal to four or five sets, but until he proves he can beat the clay-court legend in France, he will be the underdog.

No. 8 Casper Ruud vs. No. 20 Marin Cilic

Cilic has the edge in major experience over Ruud, but he has not beaten him in their last two meetings.

The eighth-seeded Norwegian defeated Cilic in two sets on clay in Rome in 2020 and in three sets on the Canadian hard court in the ATP Masters last season.

Ruud will come into Friday's match off a few hours less of rest and a handful of battles over the last week in Paris.

The 23-year-oldwas pushed to four sets by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round and each of his last three matches went four or five sets.

On the other hand, Cilic breezed through his first four rounds, dropping just a single set. He benefited from that freshness in the fifth set against Rublev on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old should have fresher legs and will be able to bank off his previous major semifinal experience. His last trip this far into a major came at the 2018 Australian Open, where he eventually lost in five sets to Roger Federer in the final.

Ruud may find a slight advantage because of his form. He has advanced to the final of three ATP Tour events and won two of them this season.

However, Cilic will have the better feel of what the match will be like and that could play to his advantage if it lasts longer than three sets.

Final Prediction: Rafael Nadal vs. Marin Cilic

French Open 2022 Results: Nadal's Win over Djokovic Highlights Tuesday's Scores

Jun 1, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal (R) reacts after winning against Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP via Getty Images)
Spain's Rafael Nadal (R) reacts after winning against Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP via Getty Images)

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.

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

Women's Quarterfinals Draw (Wednesday)

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

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

Women's SemifinalsDraw (Thursday)

No. 18 Coco Gauff vs. Martina Trevisan

Swiatek/Pegula winner vs. Kasatkina/Kudermetova winner

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)

Men's Draw QuarterfinalsDraw (Wednesday)

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

No. 8 Casper Ruud vs. Holger Rune

Men's Semifinals Draw (Friday)

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

Rublev/Cilic winner vs. Ruud/Rune winner

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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

Novak Djokovic Says Rafael Nadal 'Deserved' to Win French Open Quarterfinal Match

May 31, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal (R) shakes hands with Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) after winning at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Spain's Rafael Nadal (R) shakes hands with Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) after winning at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

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.         

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic Praised for 'Breathtaking' 4-Set French Open Thriller

May 31, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after winning against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after winning against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

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.

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:

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?

Rafael Nadal Defeats Novak Djokovic to Advance to 2022 French Open Semifinals

May 31, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after a point against Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris on May 31, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after a point against Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris on May 31, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

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).

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.

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.

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

French Open 2022 Results: Previewing Djokovic vs. Nadal and All Quarterfinals Matches

May 30, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays against Felix Auger Alliasime (not seen) of Canada in the menâs fourth round match during 8th day of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland âGarros in Paris, France on May 29, 2022. (Photo by Mine Kasapoglu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays against Felix Auger Alliasime (not seen) of Canada in the menâs fourth round match during 8th day of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland âGarros in Paris, France on May 29, 2022. (Photo by Mine Kasapoglu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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.

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)

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)

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. 

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."

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.''

French Open 2022 Results: Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal Set for Quarterfinals

May 29, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada during the Men's Singles Fourth Round match on Day 8 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada during the Men's Singles Fourth Round match on Day 8 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal headlined one of the most star-studded days of tennis fans will see all season Sunday as the fourth round of the 2022 French Open got underway.

Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime were the other top-10 seeds in the men's draw to step on the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

While a series of upsets have left a limited number of seeded players in the women's bracket, it was a busy day for Americans as Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens and Amanda Anisimova all attempted to reach the quarterfinals of the season's second Grand Slam.

Below is a full list of singles scores from Sunday's schedule, which will be updated through the conclusion of play. That's followed by a recap of some notable matches.

Men's Results

(1) Novak Djokovic d. (15) Diego Schwartzman; 6-1, 6-3, 6-3

(3) Alexander Zverev d. Bernabe Zapata Miralles; 7-6 (11), 7-5, 6-3

(5) Rafael Nadal d. (9) Felix Auger-Aliassime; 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

(6) Carlos Alcaraz d. (21) Karen Khachanov; 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

Women's Results

(17) Leylah Fernandez d. (27) Amanda Anisimova; 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

(18) Coco Gauff d. (31) Elise Mertens; 6-4, 6-0

Sloane Stephens d. (23) Jil Teichmann; 6-2, 6-0

Martina Trevisan d. Aliaksandra Sasnovich; 7-6 (10), 7-5

Day 8 Recap

While most of Djokovic's highly seeded counterparts have faced some level of resistance in the tournament's early rounds, the French Open's defending champion has arrived to the quarterfinals without dropping a set.

It wasn't the most clinical performance from the 20-time Grand Slam champion against Schwartzman as he recorded more unforced errors (31) than winners (29). He made up for it by defending well, winning 51 percent of points on the return and securing six breaks, and securing 26 of 31 points at net (84 percent).

"I've got a lot of respect for Diego, and he's specialist for this surface, so it wasn't easy in these conditions, but I did well. I found my serve in important moments," Djokovic told reporters.

He's now reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 13 straight years dating back to 2010.

Nadal showcased his trademark resilience after dropping the opening set to Auger-Aliassime by storming back to win a five-set, four-hour marathon set up a quarterfinal showdown with Djokovic.

The King of Clay, who's looking to extend his own record of 13 titles at Roland Garros, was forced to fight for every game as the players combined to tally 97 winners. His biggest advantage was defending his second serve, winning 66 percent of those points compared to 47 percent for the 21-year-old Canadian. That led to a 6-4 edge in breaks for Nadal.

Now he heads toward his 59th career ATP Tour meeting with Djokovic. His record in the previous encounters stands at 28-30, illustrating the tightly contested nature of the rivalry.

Gauff enjoyed her Grand Slam breakout party at last year's French Open, reaching a singles quarterfinal at a major for the first time, and now she's matched that result with the potential to make a much deeper run in the week ahead.

The 18-year-old Atlanta native was downright dominant in the second set against Mertens. She won 72 percent of points on both the serve and the return (each 13 of 18), struck eight winners with just two unforced errors and tallied three breaks of serve.

She's dealt with some inconsistency since last year's run in Paris, including a first-round exit at the Australian Open earlier this season, but when she plays at the level on display late in Sunday's match she can contend with anybody in the world.

"I feel like every match I'm getting better," Gauff said. "I think today even though I had some tough moments I was able to tough it out. I really do feel like I'm progressing with each match."

It sets up an all-American clash with Stephens, who was equally impressive as she breezed past Teichmann, in the quarters.

The fourth round is scheduled to conclude Monday at Roland Garros with women's top seed Iga Swiatek and men's contenders Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in action.

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