Novak Djokovic leads Rafael Nadal in semi-final of Wimbledon interrupted

Wimbledon (Men)

Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 12:05 am | Updated on 14/07/2018 at 00:29

In Wimbledon, we do not play later than 23:00 (midnight in France) not to hinder the neighborhood. Then the semifinal between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was interrupted to the advantage of the Serb (6-4, 3-6, 7-6 [9]).

Two giants have (almost) eclipsed two giants. It is 8:08 pm (9:08 pm in France) when Djokovic and Nadal enter for the big poster (supposed) after waiting hours obviously very stressful. But they will not play more than six hours in a row. We would have liked. It was hectic. But it is 23:03 (0:03 in Paris) when the two men are forced to finish to respect the rule of curfew of 23h, established by the All England Club to respect the neighborhood.
        

Blocked in the day, cut in their tracks, the Serb and the Spaniard will remember for a long time this Friday pretty crooked, in the secrecy of a club which will not filter any official announcement on the potential interruption. The presence of the roof, as soon as posed, immediately reduces the theme of a quasi-terrestrial configuration of an elongated turf with rebounds enhanced by the historic heat of this fortnight, potentially favorable to the Spaniard.
        

This is not necessarily the same game as on the blackboard. Not the same atmosphere. It benefits first Djokovic, who sweats much less than Nadal in the oven. The Serb moves very well. He gallops, even. He is everywhere to respond to the rhythmic strikes of a nervous opponent, who first tries to find the solution to the net, with seven climbs in four games, including one to save a first break point at 2-2. .
        

But it took more Friday, at first. After an hour of play, the gradual process of Djokovic's return to the summit seems over. Deep returns, shimmering shelling, delightful flights of service, cosmic defense in crazy-intensity rallies, the Serbian gives the impression that he can eat the world's n ° 1. He leads 6-4, then misses three break points in the first two of Nadal's service game early in the second run. The scream of frustration of the Serb who then resounds on a failed return, followed by an eclipse in the next game, will give the meeting another twist.
        

2011
                    Rafale Nadal had not reached this stage of competition on the London turf since his final lost against … Novak Djokovic in 2011.
                

A few little demons still roam the Serbian head, while Nadal, of course, gradually returns to the fight and pockets the second set. It is believed leached? He comes back even cleaner. Catapult shots that still manage to destabilize the rearguard. While Djokovic is also looking for the knockout in a fierce and unrestrained encounter. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Smoking. The crazy day ends in a huge tie-break, where Nadal gets three set balls, one after a senseless exchange of 23 shots, before Djokovic does not close the deal … The match will resume this Saturday (14h, French time) under the roof, unless both players accept the principle of finishing the game in the open air. Quick.
        

Franck Ramella, in London