Paris – After a two-day break, Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal are really hot for tennis again. In the semi-finals today, they will play for a place in the final of the French Open.
The 13-time Paris winner Nadal is the clear favourite going into the match. As he always is when he takes to Court Philippe Chatrier at the Stade Roland Garros. But there are also things the German Olympic champion can claim for himself.
This speaks in favour of Alexander Zverev
The underdog role: Before the tournament, nobody had Zverev on their radar. Everyone was only talking about Novak Djokovic, Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Zverev took advantage of this and came up trumps against Alcaraz. He can also play free against Nadal.
Self-confidence: The victory against Alcaraz was important for Zverev. For the first time, he was able to defeat a top ten player at a Grand Slam tournament. The Olympic champion will now also take the court against Nadal with a broad chest. Knowing full well how difficult the task is.
Nadal’s foot: When Nadal left the Jean Bouin training ground on Thursday, he was limping. The pain in his foot is chronic. And the Majorcan has already played two marathon matches in Paris this year.
What speaks for Rafael Nadal
The court: On no other court in the world does Nadal feel as comfortable as on Court Philippe Chatrier. He has lifted the trophy here an unbelievable 13 times and has experienced the best moments of his career here.
The experience: For Zverev, it would be only the second final ever at a Grand Slam tournament after losing the US Open final in 2020. Nadal has won 13 times in Paris alone and is the record champion with 21 titles.
The crowd: The spectators in Paris love Nadal. There is a very special relationship between the Spaniard and the French tennis fans. And it’s Nadal’s birthday on Friday. The spectators want to whip him into the final.
