Summary

  • Novak Djokovic stuns Rafael Nadal to reach Sunday's final in Paris

  • Top seed Djokovic wins 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 after more than four hours

  • Only Nadal's third defeat in 108 matches at Roland Garros

  • Nadal has won last four titles and was bidding for record 21st Grand Slam

  • Authorities allowed fans to stay past France's curfew of 11pm local time

  • Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Alexander Zverev to reach first Grand Slam final

  1. Break back pointspublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Nadal 6-3 2-4 Djokovic*

    Djokovic throws his arms aloft, staring at an awkward bounce off the clay that threw the number one out of his stride. He drags the next long after some superb retrieving from Nadal and the Spaniard has two chances to break back at 15-40.

    DjokovicImage source, Getty Images
  2. Postpublished at 19:39 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Nadal 6-3 2-4 Djokovic*

    Djokovic reads Nadal's attempted lob but can't execute a two-handed volley from shoulder height. He scuttles to the net once more to meet a short Nadal backhand and deftly drifts it over the tape, stopping it dead on the dirt. 15-15.

  3. Le crunch!published at 19:39 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Annabel Croft
    Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    A very good game to win. Real focus and concentration from Djokovic.

    Djokovic is standing through the court, crunching those backhands!

  4. Djokovic breakspublished at 19:38 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Nadal 6-3 2-4 Djokovic*

    But this time Novak Djokovic gets the break!

    He is at full stretch to pat a backhand back and Rafael Nadal can only swing it into the tramlines. Now can he back it up?

  5. Postpublished at 19:36 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 2-3 Djokovic

    Brilliant. Rafael Nadal saves the second too after some delicate net play between the two, exchanging slices before Nadal pushes the world number one uncomfortably wide.

    One break point to go for Djokovic.

  6. Postpublished at 19:35 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 2-3 Djokovic

    Rafael Nadal saves the first with a thundering forehand winner. Two to go.

  7. Break points Djokovicpublished at 19:34 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 2-3 Djokovic

    Great angles from Novak Djokovic, pushing Rafael Nadal wide and the Spaniard can only dice a backhand into the tramlines. Three break points for the Serb.

  8. Postpublished at 19:33 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 2-3 Djokovic

    I wonder how many times Rafael Nadal has bounced the ball on the baseline on the Roland Garros clay in his career? I'm sure there's some mathematician out there who could work it out....

    Anyway, Novak Djokovic is now the man with the momentum as he fires in a wonderful return and then makes it 0-30 with a smash on the stretch from close range.

  9. Postpublished at 19:30 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 2-3 Djokovic

    Another Djokovic drop shot goes begging, leaving it short, but it's not too much of an issue for the world number one in this service game as he edges to the hold.

  10. Postpublished at 19:27 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Nadal 6-3 2-2 Djokovic*

    "Come on, Rafa" is the cheer. The Spaniard follows up a big serve by slapping a ball into the clay and watching it leap up into the upper rows of the crowd. Novak Djokovic thuds an effort into the tape from deep behind the baseline and it's all square.

  11. Postpublished at 19:25 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 1-2 Djokovic

    There's a spring back in the step of Rafael Nadal, the 35-year-old bouncing across the baseline and forcing Novak Djokovic to punch long. 30-15.

  12. Nadal breaks backpublished at 19:22 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 1-2 Djokovic

    Huge game from Rafael Nadal! Ferocious groundstrokes and he breaks back immediately, taking the Novak Djokovic service game to love.

    We're back on serve in the second set.

  13. Break back pointspublished at 19:21 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Nadal 6-3 0-2 Djokovic*

    Well. This is so hard to call... Rafael Nadal, angered at being broken, fights back to earn three break points of his own as Novak Djokovic leaks an awkward forehand wide.

  14. Momentum shift?published at 19:21 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Russell Fuller
    BBC tennis correspondent at Roland Garros

    It's all starting to go a bit wrong for the defending champion as Djokovic steps it up and leads 2-0, in the second set.

    It's very much Djokovic with the momentum even though he lost the first set.

  15. Djokovic breakspublished at 19:19 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Nadal 6-3 0-2 Djokovic*

    But he can't stop Novak Djokovic breaking on the next point and the world number one roars to the Chatrier crowd!

  16. Postpublished at 19:19 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 0-1 Djokovic

    That's unbelievable. Rafael Nadal is stepping backwards to get on to a fierce Novak Djokovic backhand but manages to slice the deftest of backhands out of the Serb's reach as he tip toes beyond the baseline.

  17. Break points Djokovicpublished at 19:17 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 0-1 Djokovic

    Novak Djokovic is going after the Rafael Nadal second serve and finds some nice length in his returns to creep to 0-40. Three early break points.

  18. Postpublished at 19:14 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    *Nadal 6-3 0-1 Djokovic

    Bit of beach tennis there, both patting it around at the net, before Djokovic puts the chasing Nadal out of his misery. Novak Djokovic takes a quick love hold.

  19. A penny for your thoughts, Novak...published at 19:13 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Djokovic and NadalImage source, Getty Images
  20. Potential of a late finish?published at 19:12 British Summer Time 11 June 2021

    Naomi Cavaday
    BBC Sport tennis commentator

    The Nadal camp look fairly relaxed. The Djokovic camp look... terrified! Very nervous!

    The crowd are loving this. They're all having a whale of a time.

    The potential of a late finish here - looking more and more likely with every game.

    What a hard fought first set from Rafa Nadal - he does just manage to get away with it but boy did Djokovic has transformed his level.