DAY 10 of the 2022 French Open saw another instalment of the Novak Djokovic versus Rafael Nadal saga, but this time around it was the Spaniard who took the win, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7⁷-6⁴.

The world number one was broken in the very first game of the match, which set the tone for how the rest of the set was going to go for the Serbian.

He did hold his next service game, but that would be only one of two he would hold for the entire set.

By the time Djokovic won his second game for the set, Nadal had won five games so it was going to be a Mount Everest scale hill to climb for the Serbian to come back from there and win the set. That was a challenge he ultimately could not conquer as Nadal took the set the following game.

Things did go a lot better for Djokovic in the second set.

Nadal did break Djokovic again in the opening game of the second set, and raced ahead to a 3-0 lead before he got broken himself.

Djokovic won the next three games after that to take the lead in the set and the momentum was definitely with the Serbian.

Nadal won his final game for the set then Djokovic won the next two to take the set.

With the match even at one set all, there were still plenty of twists and turns left in the tale of this match.

Once again, the third set was very different to the one that preceded it, and in what must have felt like a horrible case of déjà vu by now for Djokovic, he got broken in the opening game of the set again.

He held his second service game, but did not win any of the next three games, after which he won his second and final game for the set as Nadal went on a dominant spree to take the set.

In a clash that was befitting of the status of the combatants, there were more twists left to play out in this tale.

Djokovic actually held his first service game of the final set, and went on to win the first three games of the set.

The Serbian got out to a 5-2 lead in the fourth set, and it was looking like a fifth set was on the cards.

However, Nadal had other ideas.

The Spaniard won the next three matches to level the score, then both players held their next service games to send things into a tie break.

Nadal got a good start in the tie break before Djokovic rallied late. Unfortunately for the world number one, it was in vain as the Spaniard went on to clinch the win.

Djokovic actually hit more aces than Nadal did, but both players served the same number of double faults.

Nadal had the better first serve percentage as well as percentage of wins on both first and second serve.

The Spaniard had the more winners, but also had the higher forced error count.

However, the Serbian had the higher count of unforced errors.

Next up Nadal faces Alexander Zverev, who ended the exciting run of Carlos Alcaraz.

The Spaniard pushed Zverev to four sets, but ultimately the German was too strong.

AROUND THE COURTS

The first two semi finalists in the women’s draw were also decided on day 10.

Coco Gauff defeated Sloane Stephens in straight sets, while Martina Trevisan has reached her maiden slam semi final after defeating an injury hit Leylah Fernandez in three sets.