Rafael Nadal enters 2022 French Open final after Alexander Zverev retires due to injury

Rafael Nadal advanced to the 2022 French Open Final after Alexander Zverev was forced to retire towards the end of the second set due to an injury. Nadal and Zverev were locked in a gripping battle of the ages for over three hours before the German twisted his ankle during the 12th game of the second set while running for the ball on the baseline. Zverev had to be pushed off Court Phillippe Chatrier on a wheelchair after writhing in pain on the floor, giving Nadal a 7-6 (8), 6-6, (ret) victory to send him to his 14th French Open Final.

The Spaniard will play world number eight Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday – who beat Marin Cilic to reach his first Grand Slam final – as he looks to win a record-extending 22nd major’s title.

Zverev’s heart-breaking injury after three hours and 13 minutes was an unfortunate end to a thrilling semi-final that had all the makings of another epic on the red clay in Paris. Both players made a habit of breaking each other’s services throughout the match, and after over three hours of gruelling tennis, the third set had not even begun. Nadal, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Friday, struggled for large parts of the first set due to the slow conditions as Zverev broke his serve in the opening game of the match and raced away to a 4-2 lead under the roof at Roland Garros.

However, the Spaniard raised his game in the crucial moments to fight back in the opening set, breaking back at 4-3 and forcing Zverev to save three set points on his serve. Nadal then saved two break points of his own to force a tie break, in which he produced an extraordinary comeback from 6-2 down. Nadal miraculously saved four set points – including one from an otherworldly crosscourt forehand winner – before taking the tiebreak 10-8 with another incredible forehand down the line to clinch the opening set after 98 minutes.

The second set saw even more twists and turns than the first, featuring eight breaks of serve in the opening nine games. Nadal won the opening game on Zverev’s serve but struggled to produce any zip with his groundstrokes as the world number three secured four breaks in a row.

However, just like in the first set, the German could not seize the opportunity as he double-faulted on three occasions at 5-3 to give Nadal another lifeline. The game was all set to go to another tiebreak before tragedy struck for Zverev, with the German forced to retire due to his unfortunate injury, bringing an early end to the semi-final and pushing Nadal one step closer to a 22^nd Grand Slam victory.