Roland-Garros: Novak Djokovic dethrones Rafael Nadal and reaches the final

The world number 1 will face Stefanos Tsitsipas, who upset Alexander Zverev, in the final on Sunday.

In a match that looked like a French Open final, Rafael Nadal, a 13-time champion on the Paris clay court and in search of a record 21st Grand Slam trophy, was upset by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals in four sets (3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2) in more than four hours on Friday, June 11.

This is only the third defeat for the Spaniard in 108 matches at Roland Garros. Djokovic, who already won in Paris in 2016, will face the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final on Sunday and will aim for a 19th Grand Slam title, to come within one point of the record held by Roger Federer and Nadal.

Djokovic will also be looking to become the first player in the Open Era, and only the third in history (after Emerson and Laver), to win each of the four Grand Slam titles at least twice. This is something that neither Federer nor Nadal have achieved.

"This is the biggest match I've played here in Paris, also for the atmosphere. The support was unbelievable for both players, it was fantastic," said the Serb, while an exemption to the curfew was granted to the 5,000 spectators present to stay until the end of the match. "If you want to beat Rafa on his court, you have to play your best tennis. Tonight was my best tennis," he added.

Djokovic was already one of only two players to beat Nadal at the French Open, in 2015 in the quarterfinals, along with Sweden's Robin Söderling in 2009. He becomes the only one to have achieved this twice. It all came down to the end of the third set, which stretched out like a soccer match - 91 minutes to be precise - and which Djokovic finally won in the tiebreak, after the Spaniard had won two sets to one in the previous game.