Rafael Nadal v Dominic Thiem: Final of the French Open – live! | sport

Second series: Nadal * 6-3, 2-2 Thiem (* denotes the server): Nadal wants to love.

Second set: Nadal 6-3, 1-2 Thiem * (* means the server): Thiem starts to blow hard, but he holds 30 with a big winner. He shakes his fist – and perhaps silently thanks him Nadal for slaughtering an overhead at 0-15.

Second series: Nadal * 6-3, 1-1 Thiem (* denotes the server): Nadal wants to love. It will be like this until the end. Good first set, though.

Second set: Nadal 6-3, 0-1 Thiem * (* means the server): Thiem is playing at a level that is currently beating 99.9% of opponents. Unfortunately, it's Nadal on the other side of the net. So, you know. Nevertheless, he starts the second set with a comfortable grip, polishing it to the rank of love.

In serving for the game, Nadal loses the first point with a poor quality shot. However, he wins the next two and soon has two landmarks. Thiem sends a wide setback and it should be that. The coach of Thiem is weakened by the palisades of the stands. He looks devastated. He knows. Nadal has never lost at Roland Garros after winning the first set.

First series: Nadal 5-3 Thiem * (* denotes the server): The level of Thiem drops a little and it buckles a long setback. Nadal feels an opening and at 15-30, he scores two points with a superb shot on the back. Thiem cracks. He gives a right shot to Nadal, who forces a wandering shot with a powerful backhand. Nadal will serve for the decor.

First series: Nadal * 4-3 Thiem (* denotes the server): Thiem forgets the disappointment of the previous game and comes back to the goal, putting a forehand on the line for 0-15. Nadal then misses a forehand for 15-30. There are some missing, which does not look like him. At 30, Nadal strikes a blow. This is another break point for Thiem, but it is back in retreat. This game is far from over, though. At the moment when Nadal thinks he will hold out, Thiem surprises him with a shot of lead. Then Thiem the lobe. Nadal sprints back and slides out fresh air like a clown. It's a moment for us all to feel better – look, he's human! Yet Thiem can not take advantage of it. He self-warns after missing a forehand on the line by a mustache. It was so close. It would have been a winner. Finally, Nadal holds with a backhand on the line. We have been going there for 44 minutes. Whoever loses this first set (Thiem) will suffer a lot.

First series: Nadal 3-3 Thiem * (* denotes the server): Thiem at hold here. he at consolidate the break. But Nadal is immediately on the offensive, taking control of the first rally. Thiem makes him work with a more incredible defense behind the baseline, but Nadal does it 0-15 with a smash. These are brutal gatherings – and Nadal is asking for more time between points. He is not happy that the referee has rushed them. But he is happier after seeing a few strikes from Thiem sailing away from the target. Three breaking points. Everyone settles back with a sense of normalcy. Thiem records the first break point of a forehand, but Nadal converts the second with a first-winning shot from left to right. It did not last long.

First series: Nadal * 2-3 Thiem (* denotes the server): Nadal has made quite a few unforced errors. Thiem defends himself rather well. The question is whether the Austrian will always run as hard in an hour or two. For now, however, he is in competition and his stubborn defense helps him to get back to 30, a total of 30-0, Nadal missing a few strokes. He then wins the first point of the final with a huge forehand (only after failing to kill the rally with some volley repulsed by Nadal). A tense and punitive gathering follows. It's hard to say what direction it will take – until Thiem takes control with another brutal forehand in the left corner. Nadal hangs up, but Thiem is waiting to break with a smash!

First series: Nadal 2-2 Thiem * (* denotes the server): Thiem jumps quite easily in a 40-15 lead. He defends himself well – and he ensures another take when Nadal misses an easy forehand.

First series: Nadal * 2-1 Thiem (* denotes the server): Nadal sends a razor on line 15-0. Soon he will be 40-0. But Thiem has not finished yet. He returns to 40-15, then 40-30 with a vicious reverse and sniffing too hot for Nadal. Thiem is in this situation now and he is falling after another good recovery. Nadal is a bit under pressure, but he has an ace. It's a good start for both players and I'm very happy to see how Nadal beats at 5-4.

First series: Nadal 1-1 Thiem * (* denotes the server): The good news is that it is not as windy as it has been in recent days. It's quieter for this one. This should help a little Thiem. After losing the first point here, it goes to 30-15. Then he suffered a blow to the reverse, a ploy that worked well against Djokovic. But Nadal is here. He pbades the ball over the net and is then in position to meet a Thiem reverse with a superb volley for 30-all. Yet, Thiem does not seem too upset or tired. He exploited some errors of Nadal to keep 30.

First set: Nadal * 1-0 Thiem (* means the server): Under the sun of Roland-Garros, Rafael Nadal starts the final of the men's singles 2019. He wears a bright yellow t-shirt. Thiem is bright blue. Fashion discusses the way, let's talk about tennis. Nadal opens with a venomous forehand for 15-0. It sounds like a sign of things to come, but Thiem returns to the next point. Before the next point, however, we are delayed by a child crying in the crowd. Embarrbading. Most people laugh and cheer when the father and child make a sheepish exit, but Nadal frowns. We resume and the game goes to 30-all. An intense exchange ensues and ends with Thiem flashing the back of the hand. Nadal is holding.

Tok! Tok! Tok! They do stupid things.

The players arrived on the field. They are both likely to be nervous, but Rafael Nada will be nothing compared to Dominic Thiem.

This has already been said, but it is remarkable that Dominic Thiem is the only active player under the age of 28 to reach a singleslip final. The other young guns have to lift their finger, even though this is the toughest era in the history of men's football. For now, there is no indication that anyone is contesting the dominance of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, a trio of power that continues to have strength in their thirties. We could really do better with your Tsitsipases and Zverevs and Thiems and Tiafoes and Auger-Alibadimes.

Rafael Nadal leads 8-4 in the duel against Dominic Thiem. Thiem has four wins over Nadal on clay, but he lost four times in the Grand Slam: three times at Roland Garros and once at the US Open.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the victory of Rafael Nadal against Dominic Thiem on the score of 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to Roland Garros. If you are busy, do not hesitate to come back in a few hours for the awards ceremony.

Ok, this is not the best sales at a Roland-Garros, I'll give it to you. In fact, I can hear people from our marketing department heading to my office right now. But come on, you have to admit it's hard not to think that's the way it's going to happen. Thiem is a cracking player, especially on clay. A week after giving way to Serena Williams in the main press conference room, the Austrian demonstrated his prowess on this surface by reaching his second consecutive final with an epic victory over Novak Djokovic. It was an epic performance of World Number 4, which claims to be the second best player on the surface, and the second time he has sent Djokovic to Paris for the past three years. Hat at the Austrian; no one can pretend that he would not be a worthy champion if he managed to eliminate the unthinkable here.

But the crucial point: to end his wait for his first grand slam, Thiem must succeed the impossible: beat Nadal in the Parisian palace of the king of clay, Philippe-Chatrier Court. It's not good to be the second best clay player of the day – at least while Nadal is here – and the task of Thiem is hardly made easier by having to face the big Spaniard without benefiting from a day of rest. While Nadal won a comfortable victory over Roger Federer on Friday, the rain delays meant Thiem's ​​semifinal against Djokovic took two days and five sets to settle. If it's not dead after that, Marvel will have to make a movie about him.

Aside from Thiem's ​​superhuman effort, get ready to allow Nadal to seal a win that would take him to 18 major tournaments, three ahead of Djokovic and two behind the Federer record of 20. Of course, Thiem beat number 2 world four times on clay. But he lost to Nadal in last year's final and semi-finals two years ago. Finally, Nadal, 11 times champion, will be happy that it is Thiem on the other side of the net instead of Djokovic.

The game starts at 14h and 15h in Paris.

Meanwhile, see how Ashleigh Barty crowned his return to tennis with a final triumph of Roland-Garros below.