French Open 2021: Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic - Watch live streaming of semi-finals in India
Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in last year’s final at Roland Garros. Watch them live in French Open semi-finals this year
Roland Garros will be the stage for a clash of titans as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic lock horns in the French Open 2021 semi-finals in Paris on Friday.
This will be the 58th meeting between them in the international tennis arena. Novak Djokovic, the current world No. 1, holds a slender 29-28 edge in head-to-head encounters against world No. 3 Rafael Nadal.
But in matches on clay courts, Rafael Nadal enjoys an overwhelming 19-7 advantage over Novak Djokovic, including a 7-1 record at the French Open. Watch Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals on live streaming and on live TV in India.
The two met in the French Open 2020 final with the Spaniard beating the Serb in straight sets.
Novak Djokovic’s only Roland Garros victory over Rafael Nadal came way back in the 2015 French Open quarter-finals. Interestingly, that was one of Nadal’s only two losses in his 107 French Open appearances.
Besides Novak Djokovic, only Sweden’s Robin Soderling boasts a French Open victory (2009 fourth round) over the Spaniard.
Reigning champion Rafael Nadal is chasing his 14th French Open title. If he goes on to win this year, it will also be his 21st Grand Slam victory which will take him past arch-rival Roger Federer’s tally of 20 Slams.
Roger Federer, who withdrew from this year’s French Open after the third round to avoid further aggravating a knee injury, and Rafael Nadal currently share the record for most Grand Slams won by any male tennis player.
Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, has 18 Slams to his name.
The French Open is the only Grand Slam Novak Djokovic hasn’t won more than once. His only triumph at the competition was in the 2016 edition. Rafael Nadal had to pull out after the third round due to a wrist injury that year.
If the Serb upsets Nadal in the semi-finals and goes all the way, he will also become the first men’s tennis player since Rod Laver to win each of the four Grand Slams at least twice.
“I'll probably pick Rafa as the biggest rival I've ever had in my career. The anticipation for the match against him, any match, any surface, any occasion, is always different from any other. Let's have a great battle,” Djokovic said ahead of the French Open semi-final.
Rafael Nadal’s Road to French Open 2021 semi-finals
Round 1 - Rafael Nadal beat Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2, 7(7)-6(3)
Round 2 – Rafael Nadal beat Richard Gasquet 6-0, 7-5, 6-2
Round 3 - Rafael Nadal beat Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Round 4 - Rafael Nadal beat Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Quarter-finals - Rafael Nadal beat Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
Novak Djokovic’s Road to French Open 2021 semi-finals
Round 1 – Novak Djokovic beat Tennys Sandgren 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Round 2 – Novak Djokovic beat Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Round 3 - Novak Djokovic beat Ričardas Berankis 6-1, 6-4, 6-1
Round 4 - Novak Djokovic beat Lorenzo Musetti 6(7)-7(9), 6(2)-7(7), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4
Quarter-finals - Novak Djokovic beat Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2, 6(5)-7(7), 7-5
In the other semi-finals, Germany’s Alexander Zverev (world No. 6) faces Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas (world No. 5).
Where to watch Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic French Open semi-finals live in India?
The Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic French Open 2021 semi-final will be telecast live in India on the Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 and Star Sports Select 2 HD TV channels.
Live streaming of the French Open in India will be available on Disney+ Hotstar.