Rafael Nadal

The king of the clay at Roland-Garros, Rafael Nadal, will be going after his 12th French Open title in Sunday's men's singles final.

No. 2 seed Nadal has won seven of the past nine French Open men's titles, and he is in great position to win his third championship in a row.

Nadal cruised past No. 3 Roger Federer in the semifinals Friday before poor conditions took over Roland-Garros.

After a pair of weather delays extended the second semifinal into Saturday, No. 4 Dominic Thiem survived a five-set match with No. 1 Novak Djokovic to set up a rematch of last year's French Open final.

              

Prediction

Nadal over Thiem in 4 Sets 

It is going to take a massive effort in order for Thiem to overcome Nadal and all of the success the Spaniard has had on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

On his path to the final, Nadal lost just a single set, which came in the third round to David Goffin.

Nadal made Federer and Kei Nishikori look average players in respective straight-sets victories in the semifinals and quarterfinals, and he reeled off three three-set wins to open the tournament.

In his past four French Open finals, Nadal has won 12 of the 13 sets against four opponents, including his three-set win over Thiem a year ago.

Although plenty of factors seem to be going against Thiem, including the lack of rest he will have after finishing his semifinal Saturday afternoon, he was able to beat Nadal on the clay court in Barcelona earlier this season.

But Nadal is a much tougher player to beat at Roland Garros, and it does not help Thiem that he is dealing with a quick turnaround.

Nadal is 8-4 in 12 meetings with Thiem, but the Austrian has won two of their past three contests on clay.

Because Thiem has given Nadal such a difficult time in recent matches on clay, he will be able to take at least one set from the Spaniard.

However, Thiem's lack of experience in Grand Slam finals could be his downfall Sunday in Paris.

Although he has been one of the top players on tour in recent years, Thiem has been unable to break through in majors while Nadal, Federer and Djokovic continue to dominate.

With only one Grand Slam final appearance to his name, Thiem could feel the pressure of the moment and succumb to it against a player who should remain calm since he is used to the moment.

The counterargument is Thiem weathered the storm of pressure Djokovic created in the fifth set Saturday and pushed through despite failing to hold serve.

But losing service games will not help Thiem against Nadal, who won six break points and only conceded four to Federer in the semifinals.

On the other hand, Djokovic forced 12 break points against Thiem and won seven of them. If the number of break points on Thiem's serve is anywhere close to the semifinal number, Nadal could make quick work of the final.

                       

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ATPTour.com and RolandGarros.com.

Rafael Nadal has booked his spot in the men's final of the 2019 French Open, while Marketa Vondrousova and Ashleigh Barty advanced to the women's final during Friday's action.

Nadal easily dispatched of Roger Federer, winning in three sets, while Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem were tied at a set apiece when play was suspended due to poor weather conditions.

In the women's draw, Barty came back from one set down to Amanda Anisimova, and Vondrousova survived a close battle with Johanna Konta.

Here are the full results:

Men's Draw

(2) Rafael Nadal bt. (3) Roger Federer: 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (4) Dominic Thiem: 2-6, 6-3, 1-3, SUSPENDED

       

Women's Draw

(8) Ashleigh Barty bt. Amanda Anisimova: 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3

Marketa Vondrousova bt. (26) Johanna Konta: 7-5, 7-6 (2)

     

Even heavy winds couldn't slow down Nadal's tremendous Roland-Garros form on Friday, as the Spaniard added a 22nd straight win to his remarkable streak:

22 not out!@RafaelNadal secures a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over rival Federer, and his 22nd match win in a row at Roland-Garros…

🎾 https://t.co/nKZ3xJ2F6o#RG19 pic.twitter.com/zIMYOPkEWN

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2019

He maintains a perfect record against his Swiss rival on the French clay:

Nadal at the #FrenchOpen: Automatic.

He improves to 6-0 against Federer all time at Roland Garros after a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win to reach the final. pic.twitter.com/MsxrTk9lvt

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) June 7, 2019

Federer had been in excellent form throughout the tournament, and he made few mistakes on Friday. Nadal was always a step faster, however, and he dominated the longer rallies from the baseline.

The 37-year-old Federer had relied on a steady diet of aggressive serving to get to this stage, and the strong winds made such a tactic far more difficult. It only added to the challenge, and at no point did he appear likely to upset the King of Clay.

The second match of the men's draw was expected to be more competitive, and the conditions played an even bigger role.

While Thiem did a solid job dealing with the wind, Djokovic was visibly upset from the opening game, calling on the supervisor before the end of the first set:

Djokovic has supervisor on court.

— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) June 7, 2019

And supervisor tells him that yes they're gonna have to play in that tornado

— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) June 7, 2019

He recovered in the second set, bagging a break of his own after a first delay due to rain. The rain returned in the third set, right after a crucial break for Thiem, and despite what appeared to be improving conditions, the organisers opted to suspend play for the day.

Vondrousova continued her remarkable run through the tournament, becoming the first teenager to reach the final in Paris in over a decade:

Marketa Vondrousova comes back from a break down in both sets to beat Jo Konta 7-5, 7-6(2) and reach at #RG19 her first Grand Slam final.

First teenager to reach a final in Paris since 2007 (Ivanovic).

[getty] pic.twitter.com/8U8tAsE38R

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) June 7, 2019

Konta gave the 19-year-old a serious challenge, but she failed to make the most of her opportunities at crucial moments. She couldn't convert an early break into a set win, and she missed a similar chance in the second.

Vondrousova's opponent in the final will be Barty, who shifted gears after a difficult first set to comfortably dispose of Anisimova.

After taking a 5-0 lead, she lost six straight games before dropping the tiebreak for the opening set. That was the wake-up call she needed, however, and she now has a great chance to win her first-ever Grand Slam.  

Rafael Nadal will have the chance to win his 12th French Open title on Sunday after he beat Roger Federer in Friday's semi-final. 

The No. 2 seed eased to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory as the pair dealt with windy conditions throughout at Roland-Garros.

Nadal will play the winner of Novak Djokovic's semi-final with Dominic Thiem in Sunday's final.

It took eight minutes for Nadal to hold his serve in the opening game, but he punished Federer for failing to convert a break point as he replied with a break in the following game on his way to a 3-0 lead.

As tennis coach Darren Cahill observed, the Swiss maestro was done no favours by the weather conditions:

Federer needs a few things to go his way vs Nadal today but these conditions won’t help. Breezy, cool and tricky to get good timing and difficult to attack. Nadal a superb wind player with footwork, spin and margins.

— Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) June 7, 2019

He did manage to break back, though, hitting this superb volley along the way:

That Federer volley 🤤🤤🤤

🎥: @Eurosport_UK | @rogerfederer | #RG19pic.twitter.com/mKpnBctA6C

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 7, 2019

The 37-year-old's joy was short-lived, however, as Nadal regained his lead. After saving five break points, Federer finally succumbed when he shot into the net, and the set quickly followed.

Federer enjoyed the ideal start to the second set with a 2-0 lead after Nadal sent a backhand long, but once more the Spaniard offered an instant response:

Stunning @RafaelNadal 👏 #RG19 pic.twitter.com/CJNbwRoEJq

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) June 7, 2019

Nadal broke again at 4-4 with a volleyed winner to put himself firmly in control of the contest, and the set was soon wrapped up.

From there, Federer faced an almost impossible task, as tennis writer Christopher Clarey illustrated:

Nadal is 222-2 with a two-set lead ini best-of-five play

Only losses:

2005 Miami Open F vs Federer
2015 US Open Rd 3 vs Fognini

Never happened on clay

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) June 7, 2019

The 33-year-old reinforced that point with his most comfortable set yet in the third, while a frustrated Federer had to be warned by the chair umpire for hitting a ball into the crowd.

There was little Federer could do to resist the King of Clay, who broke him twice more on the way to securing his place in Sunday's showpiece.

The top four seeds are still standing in the men's tournament at the 2019 French Open after five rounds of play on the clay courts of Roland Garros in Paris.

Rafael Nadal, the event's record holder with 11 titles, is joined in Friday's semifinals by Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Dominic Thiem. Djokovic is attempting to complete the second wraparound Grand Slam of his career, previously accomplishing the feat in 2015-16.

Let's check out all of the important details for the penultimate round at the season's second major. That's followed by a preview and prediction for both high-profile matches.

             

Men's Semifinal Schedule

Start Time: 6:50 a.m. ET

First Match: (2) Rafael Nadal vs. (3) Roger Federer

Second Match: (1) Novak Djokovic vs. (4) Dominic Thiem

           

U.S. Viewing Information

TV: Tennis Channel and NBCSN

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere and NBC Sports Live

          

Match Predictions

Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer

Two of the greatest players in tennis history are set to meet for the 39th time in their ATP Tour careers.

Nadal holds a sizable 23-15 edge overall, but Federer has emerged victorious in their last five meetings dating back to 2015. Rafa's last triumph came in the 2014 Australian Open.

The 33-year-old Spaniard has never lost to Federer at Roland Garros (5-0), however, and last lost to his longtime friendly rival on clay in the 2009 Madrid Masters.

"I'm very happy to play Rafa, because if you want to do or achieve something on the clay, inevitably, at some stage, you will go through Rafa, because he's that strong and he will be there," Federer told reporters. "I knew that when I signed up for the clay that hopefully that's gonna happen. If I would have had a different mindset to avoid him, then I should not have played the clay."

Although the head-to-head numbers on clay are a bit skewed since the 37-year-old Swiss legend skipped the last three clay-court seasons, Nadal is still the clear favorite in Friday's matchup. He's listed with definitive -750 betting-line odds, per Caesars Race & Sports Book.

That said, it's impossible to discount Federer despite his counterpart's dominance. He's showcased elite form of his own by reaching the semifinals while dropping a single set.

It sets the stage for what could become another instant classic.

Pick: Nadal in five sets

           

Novak Djokovic vs. Dominic Thiem

Djokovic and Thiem don't have the history of Nadal and Federer, but they are meeting for the ninth time. The 15-time Grand Slam singles champions holds the 6-2 edge, but they've split two French Open clashes.

Even Djokovic couldn't downplay his level of performance in a straight-sets destruction of No. 5 seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, during which he looked like a legitimate threat to Rafa's throne.

"I played five or six games perfectly. I started hitting the ball a bit more cleanly. It's good to finish today after the rain yesterday,” he said. "It's important to focus on the present moment without thinking about the next day. I'm in the semifinals and I'm very happy with that. I hope I will continue to play well."

Thiem has also found his footing after a sluggish start to the event that included dropping a set in each of his first three matches.

The semifinal foes previously faced off in the Madrid Masters semis last month. While Djokovic advanced in straights, both sets required a tiebreak in the hard-fought encounter.

Expect a similar closely contested win by the Serbian superstar Friday.

Pick: Djokovic in four sets   

Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem set up a semi-final clash at the 2019 French Open after recording impressive wins at Roland-Garros on Thursday.

Djokovic saw off Alexander Zverev in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, while Thiem did the same to Karen Khachanov, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. The two will now meet on Friday, with Djokovic likely to continue his irrepressible form, even against a player as capable on clay as Thiem.

Friday also sees Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal renew their storied rivalry for the right to play in yet another Grand Slam final.

The WTA bracket sees Ashleigh Barty meet Amanda Anisimova in the last four. Barty beat Madison Keys 6-3, 7-5, while Anisimova continued her excellent tournament by dispatching defending champion Simona Halep 6-2, 6-4.

Johanna Konta meets Marketa Vondrousova in the other semi-final.

       

Friday's Schedule and Predicted Winners

ATP

• (3) Roger Federer vs. (2) Rafael Nadal, 11:50 a.m. BST/6:50 a.m. ET (Nadal)
• (1) Novak Djokovic vs. (4) Dominic Thiem, after Federer vs. Nadal (Djokovic)

WTA

• (8) Ashleigh Barty vs. Amanda Anisimova, 10 a.m. BST/5 a.m. ET (Barty)
• (26) Johanna Konta vs. Marketa Vondrousova, 10 a.m. BST/5 a.m. ET (Konta)

      

Djokovic and Nadal to Meet in the Final

Djokovic still hasn't dropped a set en route to the last four. He was imperious against Zverev after being pushed all the way during a tense opening set.

The world No. 1 claimed it 7-5, but he found things easier after that, dropping only four games before sealing victory.

Back in the final 4️⃣.@DjokerNole too good for Zverev 7-5 6-2 6-2. Meets Them in the semi-finals.

🎾 https://t.co/Zs3DNFWbFP #RG19 pic.twitter.com/sz1GWIHa2h

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2019

A terrific and aggressive range of shots kept Zverev on the back foot. Specifically, the Serb used the backhand to snatch more than a few key points.

Smoker from the Djoker!

Perfectly placed from @DjokerNole...

🎾 https://t.co/Zs3DNFWbFP #RG19 pic.twitter.com/GSmuGbYDrk

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2019

There is barely a flaw in Djokovic's game ahead of facing Thiem. Even so, the latter represents a tricky opponent, one who usually taps into his best game on this surface.

Thiem is going from strength to strength during this year's tournament. His reward is a fourth-straight trip to the semi-final stage of the bracket in Paris.

The Austrian will be the first player to take a set off Djokovic, but it won't be enough to stall the 32-year-old's path to the final.

Unlike Thiem, Federer isn't fighting form, he's fighting history when he steps on court against Nadal. The Spaniard has won the last five meetings between the pair at Roland-Garros.

10 minutes of @RafaelNadal and @rogerfederer on a clay court...

You're welcome 💁‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/la3yH1RqQB

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 5, 2019

Those defeats leave Federer with a fairly big to-do list to end Nadal's recent dominance. One of his priorities has to be "playing positively" on break points, according to Charlie Eccleshare of the Daily Telegraph.

Unfortunately, Federer "has struggled to convert break points so far this tournament, taking just two of 18 against Wawrinka and only making 36 per cent (20 from 55) in total," per BBC Sport's Alex Bysouth.

Count on the "King of Clay" keeping Federer off guard long enough to secure another famous win and keep a bid for a 12th French Open title alive.

        

Barty and Konta on Course for Final

Konta has found her best form at the right time in the French capital. The 28-year-old has also achieved a rarity for British players in this tournament:

History Book Bound 📕@JohannaKonta becomes the first British woman to reach the Roland-Garros quarter-finals since 1983 with her 6-2 6-4 win over Donna Vekic.

🎾 https://t.co/vKfBxnrBzf #RG19 pic.twitter.com/PqyhH3NNyk

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 2, 2019

Momentum on her side means Konta is a strong pick to get past Vondrousova and book her place in the final.

Anisimova will be confident about joining her after the way she dominated Halep. The champion from 2018 barely got near the American, who powered through both sets.

Many, including Christopher Clarey of The New York Times applauded the varied and cerebral game the 17-year-old displayed: "Anisimova repeatedly held her own or better in the backhand exchanges and was also able to generate rally-controlling pace with her forehand. She showed tactical variety, too, hitting drop-shot winners after pinning Halep deep in the court with her baseline power."

Anisimova is playing with a daring impudence that's upset the established order. However, her run will come to an end against Barty.

The Australian has mastered consistency and efficiency after beating Sofia Kenin and Keys. Barty isn't giving her opponents any edge or hope.

Ashleigh Barty's rise is nothing short of extraordinary.

Here's a quick refresher. #RG19 pic.twitter.com/Qivt4u9ZWh

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2019

Barty is an exceptional athlete who can manufacture shots as well as any player left in the bracket. Her steady game will gradually wear Anisimova down.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal cruised into the semi-finals of the 2019 French Open on Tuesday after seeing off the challenge of seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori.

The Spaniard will face Roger Federer for a place in the final. The Swiss star reached the last four by knocking out compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka in four sets.

In the women's draw, Great Britain's Johanna Konta maintained her fine form by upsetting seventh-seeded Sloane Stephens.

Konta will play unseeded Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova. The 19-year-old upset 31st-seeded Petra Martic to make her first Grand Slam semi-final.

     

Tuesday's Men's Results

(2) Rafael Nadal bt. (7) Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1, 6-3

(3) Roger Federer bt. (24) Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 

    

Tuesday's Women's Results

(26) Johanna Konta bt. (7) Sloane Stephens 6-1, 6-4

Marketa Vondrousova bt. (31) Petra Martic 7-6 (1), 7-5

   

Tuesday Recap

Rain interrupted both men's quarter-finals at Roland Garros on Tuesday, but Nadal continued his dominance on the clay in Paris.

The second seed raced through the opening set for the loss of just one game, while Nishikori looked to be feeling the effects of his five-set wins over Laslo Dere and Benoit Paire in the last two rounds.

Nadal broke early in the second set on his way to taking a stranglehold on the match that his opponent could do little about.

The Spaniard seemed to be in a hurry to complete the game but was forced to stop at 4-2 up in the third set due to the imminent arrival of a thunderstorm:

Beast mode from @RafaelNadal today 💪

He leads Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1, 4-1. | #RG19 pic.twitter.com/ql0ZHbB3IV

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 4, 2019

Nadal did not appear too happy to be forced off the court with victory in sight, but he picked up where he left off on his return to reach his 12th French Open semi-final:

Another flawless performance@RafaelNadal is into his 12th French Open SF after defeating Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1, 6-3! #RG19pic.twitter.com/vi97uBcmqn

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 4, 2019

The 11-time French champion will face a familiar opponent after Federer progressed to the last four at Roland Garros for the first time in seven years:

Solid Federer!

Roger defeats Stan Wawrinka 7-6 4-6 7-6 6-4 to get back in @rolandgarros semi-finals for the 1st time since 2012! #RG19 pic.twitter.com/QgFL7oDngW

— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) June 4, 2019

Federer was made to work harder for his win by a determined Wawrinka. The third seed needed a tiebreak to clinch the opener, but the 2015 French Open champion hit straight back to level the match.

The 37-year-old needed to be at his very best to clinch a tight third set, again via tiebreak: 

Fast feet, fast hands 🏁

🎥: @rolandgarros | @rogerfederer | #RG19pic.twitter.com/w33G6fwrD2

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 4, 2019

Play was suspended with the scores at 3-3 in the fourth set. After an hour delay, Federer secured the crucial break at 4-4.

Wawrinka threatened to break back as Federer served for the match but could not do quite enough as the 2009 French Open champion progressed after three hours and 17 minutes.

Konta has no such trouble in her quarter-final, producing a near-flawless display to secure her first French Open semi-final.

The British star dropped just five games on her way to victory as she breezed past the seventh seed:

Is @JohannaKonta bulletproof?

The 🇬🇧 drops just five games en-route to first Roland-Garros semi-final.#RG19 https://t.co/SPIFw89jo6

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 4, 2019

The 28-year-old becomes the first British woman to make the last four in Paris since 1983 and fully deserved her victory:

https://twitter.com/tumcarayol/status/1135899046256791553

Konta now faces the challenge of Vondrousova, who beat Martic in straight sets in a dramatic match.

The teenager appeared to lose the first set but managed to produce a superb comeback to win it on the tiebreak:

Marketa Vondrousova, down triple set point at 5-6, 0-40, calmly reels off 12 of the next 13 points to surge to take the first set 7-6(1).

She's 6-0 in tiebreaks so far this year. #RG19

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 4, 2019

The second set produced more drama with Vondrousova having two match points while serving at 5-3 but unable to see it out as the nerves began to show.

Martic kept her nerve to stay in the match, and a horrible double-fault by the Czech saw her opponent break back:

Petra Martic roars as she saves match points to break Marketa Vondrousova to *4-5. Won a 34 shot rally at deuce. And comes up with the goods to finally break through. #RG19

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) June 4, 2019

Yet Vondrousova was not to be denied a second time. She hit straight back to force her third match point and made no mistake to secure a semi-final spot.

Roger Federer is 0-5 against Rafael Nadal all-time at the French Open, and oddsmakers don't see the Swiss picking up his first win in the 2019 semifinals Friday. 

Nadal is a -950 favorite (bet $950 to win $100) over Federer at the Caesars sportsbook. They haven't met at Roland Garros since the 2011 final, which Nadal won in four sets.

Federer received a walkover against Nadal in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in March. Before that, he took the last five of their head-to-head meetings. Nadal's last victory was in the 2014 Australian Open semifinal.

Nadal has a 23-15 edge on Federer in their rivalry, though, and his dominance on clay is a big reason for that advantage. The Spaniard is 13-2 against Federer on the surface.

The respective performances of the two stars will have factored into the odds as well.

Federer is coming off a hard-fought four-set victory over Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, which was his first match against a ranked opponent. Nadal dispatched of No. 27 seed David Goffin in four sets in the third round and dismantled seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori in straight sets in the quarters.

Nadal appears to be well on track for his 12th French Open title since 2005.

Federer will turn 38 in August and Nadal celebrated his 33rd birthday Monday. Regardless of the outcome, fans will savor what could be the last battle between the legends in Paris.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer won their quarter-final matches on Tuesday at the 2019 French Open, claiming spots in the last four.

Nadal was his usual brilliant self on the clay of Roland Garros, cruising past the challenge of No. 7 seed Kei Nishikori.

The Spaniard won 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in an excellent display in Paris.

Federer joined his great rival in the semi-finals after a tough match against Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka.

The icon dropped the second but muscled past Wawrinka 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, setting up a clash with Nadal.

In the women's draw, Johanna Konta was at the top of her game as she eliminated Sloane Stephens in straight sets.

The British No. 1 will face Marketa Vondrousova after she defeated No. 31 seed Petra Martic.

                                     

Tuesday Results

Men's Singles

(2) Rafael Nadal bt. (7) Kei Nishikori: 6-1, 6-1, 6-3

(3) Roger Federer bt. Stanislas Wawrinka: 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4

             

Women's Singles

(26) Johanna Konta bt. (7) Sloane Stephens: 6-1, 6-4

Marketa Vondrousova bt. (31) Petra Martic: 7-6 (1), 7-5

                                      

Wednesday Schedule

Men's Singles

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (5) Alexander Zverev

(4) Dominic Thiem vs. (10) Karen Khachanov

                   

Women's Singles

(3) Simona Halep vs. Amanda Anisimova

(8) Ashleigh Barty vs. (14) Madison Keys

Visit RolandGarros.com to see the schedule and draw in full.

                                     

Tuesday Recap

Nadal and Federer are ready to give tennis fans a treat as they set up a semi-final encounter in the French capital.

The pair have not faced each other since 2017, and their last clash at Roland Garros was in the 2011 final.

Nadal prevailed in four sets in that match, and the Spaniard has won the competition an eye-watering 11 times during his career.

The Spaniard was in cruise control on Tuesday as he hurdled the challenge presented by Nishikori.

In what should have been a stiff test, Nadal crushed the Japanese star in straight sets.

Nishikori could only win five games over the three sets, and Nadal appears ready for a 12th success in Paris.

It was the 11th time Nadal has beaten Nishikori in 13 career matches.

Wawrinka was always going to be a difficult opponent for Federer, with the countryman knowing the intricacies of the No. 3 seed's tactics.

Federer claimed the first via a tie-break, but Wawrinka grabbed the second to stun the legend.

However, the 37-year-old was not to be denied. Federer worked hard to close out the match, claiming the third by another tie-break and winning the final set 6-4.

Nadal has defeated Federer on clay 13 times, but the Swiss has the better of the results in recent matches, per SI Tennis:

Nadal leads 13-2 overall on clay and 5-0 at Roland Garros, but Federer has won the last five meetings between the two legendshttps://t.co/RxyOipzTBQ

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) June 4, 2019

Konta continued her return to form as she beat No. 7 seed Stephens with ease.

The Brit was electrifying as she won in straight sets against the American.

Konta has battled her way back to her best and will now face Vondrousova after her close win over Martic.

The Czech 19-year-old  won the first with a convincing tie-break and closed out the victory 7-5 in the final set.

The 2019 French Open quarter-finals get under way Tuesday as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer return to the competition's last eight against Kei Nishikori and Stanislas Wawrinka, respectively.

Nishikori completed a 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-7 (8), 7-5 victory over Benoit Paire on Monday after their Sunday meeting was suspended, and Nadal looks sure to be the more rested of the two.

Federer is back at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015 and will feature in the quarters for a 12th time. However, fellow Swiss Wawrinka will look to end his dream of making it back to the French Open final after eight years away.

Following a rush of upsets in Paris, No. 7 Sloane Stephens is now the second-highest seeded player left in the women's singles, second only to No. 3 Simona Halep.

She'll face England's Johanna Konta—who has made it past the first round for the first time in five Roland Garros appearances—while Petra Martic attempts to stop Marketa Vondrousova's fairytale run.

      

Tuesday's Schedule (Predicted Winner)

Men's Singles

(3) Roger Federer vs. (24) Stanislas Wawrinka (Federer)

(2) Rafael Nadal vs. (7) Kei Nishikori (Nadal)

       

Women's Singles

(7) Sloane Stephens vs. (26) Johanna Konta (Stephens)

(31) Petra Martic vs. Marketa Vondrousova (Vondrousova)

Visit RolandGarros.com to see the schedule in full.

       

Tuesday Preview

With 12 sets won from a possible 12 thus far in Paris, both Nadal and Federer are looking relentless ahead of the quarters, but it's at this stage of the competition where the quality rises to the top.

That being said, there's simply no denying Nadal's domination when playing on clay. A flawless 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over Juan Ignacio Londero in the fourth round illustrated why he looks like the top pick capable of blocking Novak Djokovic's run to the crown, via the Tennis Channel:

.@RafaelNadal is now 90-2 @rolandgarros.. Is that good?

Nadal defeats Londero 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. #RG19 pic.twitter.com/VUkULmIfbx

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 2, 2019

Nadal celebrated his 33rd birthday on Monday. Tennis TV celebrated the date with a compilation of his best career moments, many of which have come on clay:

33 today, @RafaelNadal never knows when he's beaten... 💪🎉 pic.twitter.com/yFWTwXvR1z

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 3, 2019

Roland Garros has a potential semi-final matchup between the Spaniard and Federer, 37. It's a Grand Slam reunion between stars who may not have many more meetings in them. 

Federer's 22 career victories victories over Wawrinka, who has beaten him three times, indicates the former should be capable of topping this fixture for a seventh time in succession, per ATPTour.com. 

Federer is also yet to drop a set in four matches thus far at Roland Garros, and AFP noted he and Wawrinka have a history in this stage of the French Open:

https://twitter.com/AFP_Sport/status/1135185321346424832

Wawrinka stunned his countryman 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in Paris four years ago but has since lost six times in a row to Federer.

As for Stephens, the path to a second straight French Open final is looking oddly open after a clearing out of most top seeds in the women's bracket.

That being said, the 2018 runner-up isn't looking past her upcoming date against Konta, per Eleanor Crooks of the Press Association:

Sloane Stephens' response to being asked about a final rematch with Simona Halep: "Oh, honey, we have a long ways to go until we get there."

— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) June 3, 2019

And neither should she considering Konta has beaten Stephens twice in their first two matches against one another earlier this year, per SteveGTennis.com.

The most recent of those was a comeback win at the Rome Masters in May, though the American's straight-sets win over Garbine Muguruza in the fourth round suggests she's improved on clay since then.

Martic, 28, may look a firm favourite for her clash against Vondrousova based on the fact she's seeded 31st while her opponent is unranked, but the margins are closer than they appear.

Vondrousova, 19, is 38th in the WTA rankings—seven places below Martic—but she's only 158 points off her foe's total despite having played four tournaments fewer than the Croat this season.

Yet to drop a set in the competition and having already knocked out Anastasija Sevastova and Carla Suarez Navarro—seeded 12th and 28th, respectively—Vondrousova looks like good value for another upset.

Novak Djokovic advanced to the 2019 French Open quarter-finals on Monday after he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to make the last eight at Roland Garros for the 13th time.

He'll face Alexander Zverev in the next stage of the competition after the German defeated No. 9 Fabio Fognini 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (5).

Kei Nishikori and Benoit Paire also resumed their matchup that was suspended on Sunday. The Japanese contender topped a rollercoaster last two sets to triumph 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-7 (8), 7-5 and set up a quarter-final meeting with Rafael Nadal.

Madison Keys carried on her good streak of form at recent Grand Slam tournaments to book her place in the last eight with a victory against Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-4. 

The American will go up against No. 8 seed Ashleigh Barty, who finished strongly against Sofia Kenin and won 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 on Monday.

       

Monday's Early Results

Men's Singles

(7) Kei Nishikori bt. Benoit Paire: 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-7 (8), 7-5

(1) Novak Djokovic bt. Jan-Lennard Struff: 6-3, 6-2, 6-2

(5) Alexander Zverev bt. (9) Fabio Fognini: 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (5)

(4) Dominic Thiem bt. (14) Gael Monfils: 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

(10) Karen Khachanov bt.(8) Juan Martin del Potro: 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

                 

Women's Singles

(14) Madison Keys bt. Katerina Siniakova: 6-2, 6-4

(8) Ashleigh Barty bt. Sofia Kenin: 6-3, 3-6, 6-0

(3) Simona Halep bt. Iga Swiatek: 6-1, 6-0

Amanda Anisimova bt. Aliona Bolsova: 6-3, 6-0

Visit RolandGarros.com to see the schedule in full.

          

U.S. Replay Info

TV: Tennis Channel (3 p.m. ET, 11 p.m. ET and 1 a.m. ET on Tuesday)

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere

        

UK Replay Info

TV: Eurosport (8 p.m. BST, 10:30 p.m. BST) 

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK)

      

Recap

Djokovic was calm and calculated in his dismantling of Struff, who became the fourth player in succession to fall against the Serb in straight sets at Roland Garros.

The top seed has rarely been tested so far in his search to again hold all four majors simultaneously, and sportswriter Ben Rothenberg was underwhelmed by the dominance of the favourites:

Djokovic at #RG19
6-4 6-2 6-2
6-1 6-4 6-3
6-3 6-3 6-2
6-3 6-2 6-2

Nadal at #RG19
6-2 6-1 6-3
6-1 6-2 6-4
6-1 6-3 4-6 6-3
6-2 6-3 6-3

Federer at #RG19
6-2 6-4 6-4
6-4 6-3 6-4
6-3 6-1 7-6
6-2 6-3 6-3

On the up side, they're rested. On the down side, it's been dull.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 3, 2019

Struff failed in his only attempt at breaking Djokovic and won just 21 percent of receiving points, per Roland Garros. However, a quarter-final encounter against either ninth seed Fognini or Zverev promises to offer more fireworks.

Nishikori qualified for his third French Open quarter-final after a raucous ending to his duel against Paire, coming back from 1-4 and 3-5 down in the fifth set to seal a mighty comeback, via Eurosport UK:

One of the matches of the tournament 🙌

In the drizzle at #RG19 Nishikori ousts Paire in a five-set thriller pic.twitter.com/vEkzygMhcW

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) June 3, 2019

The No. 7 seed led 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-2 when their match was stopped on Sunday, and Paire looked to have locked down what would have been his first French Open quarter-final appearance.

Nishikori had other plans and unleashed a four-game spree to turn the tide, although a one-day turnaround before facing 11-time champion Nadal doesn't bode well for his chances of going further.

Keys, 24, and Barty, 23, each showed signs of encouragement ahead of their quarter-final clash and lived up to expectations in their fourth-round matchups against Siniakova and Kenin, respectively. 

Tennis writer Jose Morgado hyped a clash between two young players enjoying the best majors form of their careers to date:

Back to back Grand Slams QFs for Ash Barty

Five QFs in the last seven Grand Slams for Madison Keys.

Should be a very good match on Wednesday. (h2h 1-1)

[getty] pic.twitter.com/AqJxo6l3sG

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) June 3, 2019

Keys suffered a break at the beginning of the second set but responded instantly and barged her way to just her second straight-sets win of the tournament.

Kenin couldn't capitalise on Saturday's surprise 6-2, 7-5 win against Serena Williams and limped over the line against Barty, where she made a critical 11 unforced errors in the decisive third set.