http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... valry.aspx2009 Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open Semi-finals, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 36 76(5) 76(9)
For the third time in five weeks the pair met. It was dramatic theatre and arguably their best match to date. Nadal saved three match points in a dramatic final-set tie-break to beat Djokovic 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9) in four hours and two minutes for a spot in the final. It is believed to be the longest best-of-three sets match on the ATP World Tour in the Open Era (since 1968). It was the first time Nadal had played a third set tie-break on clay since 11 July 2003, when he lost to Nicolas Lapentti at Bastad, Sweden. Djokovic had the better of the opening exchanges and led Nadal 3-0 – courtesy of service break in the second game. The third seed managed to maintain his advantage, winning 20 of 26 service points to take the first set in 51 minutes. Djokovic’s fluency continued in the second set, but he was left to rue missed opportunities for service breaks in the third and ninth games. Nadal managed to fight off another break point in an 11-minute game for a 6-5 lead and went on to create his first break point opportunity, a set point, in the next game. Nadal maintained his record of never losing a tie-break against Djokovic to level the score line. Djokovic regained his composure to open up a 3-1 lead, after breaking Nadal in the fourth game. But Nadal responded with an immediate service break of his own. In the third-set tie-break Djokovic created his first match point when he hit a forehand winner for a 6-5 lead, but he could not capitalise on the chance as Nadal hit a forehand winner down the line from a long baseline rally. A second match point went begging on a Nadal second serve at 7-6, when Nadal wrong-footed Djokovic with a series of forehands before hitting the winning forehand stroke on approach to the net. Nadal’s first match point came and went at 8-7. Djokovic hit a nerveless forehand winner, having hit a second serve to Nadal’s forehand, for his third match point at 9-8 after four hours of play. Nadal gritted his teeth once again, and urged on by his compatriots was able to recover to 10-9 courtesy of a Djokovic forehand in the net and a forehand winner down the line. Nadal seized control of his second match point by forcing Djokovic out wide to lunge for a forehand, which landed in the net.
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