Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev French Open 2022 Highlights: Nadal into the final after Zverev withdraws with injury

He makes his way back into the court in crutches and its all over for Zverev. Nadal hugs him and he shakes hand with the umpire. Nadal is through to the final

Alexander Zverev looks very distressed and he has been taken off the court in a wheelchair. 

The forehand whip goes over the line and Zverev makes it 15-all. Zverev errs on the forehand next and Nadal takes 30-15 lead. The backhand from Zverev sails over the sideline and Nadal takes 40-15 lead. Zverev sends Nadal the wrong way on the volley and he reduces the gap to 40-30. Nadal holds again but Zverev has injured his foot

Nadal looks to close the gap at the nets and Zverev's backhand goes long. NADAL AT HIS BEST! Another view of his incredible defensive skill. Nadal looking to trouble Zverev with the moonball, but errs at the net as Zverev's volley lands into the open court. Fantastic tennis from Zverev now as he raises his level and Nadal fails to connect to that forehand volley. Another outstanding high-risk shot from Zverev off his backhand and he finds the line. Nadal is frustrated. And he holds. 

Nadal 7-6, 5-6 Zverev*

Nadal unable to adjust and he concedes the first point and then does another after his first double fault for the night. Pressure is eating up Nadal. Serve and volley helps him pull one back. Zverev's forehand error makes it 30-all. Incredible defensive work from Nadal and Zverev errs on the volley. Huge roar from the Spaniard. FINALLY HE HOLDS SERVE

Nadal* 7-6, 5-5 Zverev

A 6th double fault to start for Zverev. Opportunity for Nadal with the forehand but it hits the net cord. The Spaniard is just not being able to adapt. A 7th double fault follows for Zverev next. Zverev's backhand then goes long. 8th double fault helps Nadal's cause as he stays alive in the second set. 

Nadal 7-6, 4-5 Zverev*

Pressure back on Nadal who is yet to hold serve in the second set. And loses the first point after a forehand error. But a perfectly placed backhand return draws an unforced error from Zverev. It's 15-all now. Zverev's backhand then goes long as Nadal goes 30-15 up. A volley from Nadal goes long and Zverev pounces in it to fire it down the line. Nadal is 3/9 in pressure points. Nadal misses the overhead in the next point. Credit to Zverev and trouble for the Spaniard. And Nadal is still, yet to hold serve in the second set. 

WOOOAAAH! Just sublime from Rafa! Toys with Zverev at the net before hitting a drop shot winner to make it 15-all. Zverev's forehand goes long and it makes it 30-all now. Nadal steals the point at the net. Super mid-reading from the Spaniard. He is a magician at the net. And Nadal breaks for the second time in this set.

A 10th unforced error from Nadal sees Zverev go 15-30. But a drop shot sets him up for 40-15 now. Another unforced error off his backhand reduces the gap to one point. Nadal look to seal the game with serve and volley, but the volley rammed the net and Spaniard is frustrated. And it's advantage Zverev. Superb play from Zverev in the last couple of points. But Nadal says ‘Not Yet’ as his firing forehand leaves Zverev stranded midway.  Incredible ball-striking from Zverev and gains advantage once again. A second break point for Zverev. And he does it. He has broke Nadal for the third straight time in this set.

Zverev starts off perfectly with a 213kph ace. Nadal's firing backhand is halted at the nets in the next point. Zverev's backhand return fails to find the line in the next point. Nadal then goes wide of Zverev's backhand on return and draws an unforced error. It's 30-all now. The Spaniard then gains advantage after Zverev's forehand goes long but Zverev saves the break point with a pin-point crosscourt backhand winner. A perfect serve down the T gives Zverev the advantage but his forehand return on the next point hits the net cord and goes over the line. It's deuce again. Nadal then draws Zverev forward and he sprints to smash the winner down the line. It's advantage Zverev. The Spaniard however saves it. But Zverev ain't giving up as an ace down the T sets him up again. And he does it, finally.  

Back-to-back unforced errors and Nadal down 15-30. And then another gives Zverev a break point advantage.  And he converts. Very loose service game from the Spaniard 

Zverev pulled two back after Nadal went 30-0 up. A sublime forehand winner helped him level the game. It was his 9th forehand winner from Zverev. But the Spaniard took the lead back after Zverev erred on return on Nadal's backhand slice. A wide forehand winner brought it back to deuce. The serve and volley tactic however did not work in his next point as his wrong leg was leading into the charge and the return hit the net. ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY POINT THAT WAS! Superb court coverage from Nadal! He is 36! 

After going 30-0 up, Zverev gains a point with a drop shot winner. A sliced backhand near the service box from Nadal then set him up with a 40-15 lead. A poor backhand return from Nadal reduces the gap to 40-30. Back-to-back forehand error from the Spaniard brings it to deuce and then to advantage for Zverev.  And he breaks

A drop shot winner and a sliced backhand return helps Nadal take 30-0 lead before getting a break point advantage after Zverev arred on his backhand return. Nadal then breaks

Nadal: 69% win in 1st serve, 50 on 2nd serve and 43% (26/61) return points won.

Zverev: 61% win in 1st serve, 40 on 2nd serve and 37% (17/46) return points won.

Nadal also dominated the shorter rallies in the set (+16).

The ends have changed again. Nadal perfectly finds the forehand and he makes it 7-6 now in the tie-breaker. A huge roar from the Spaniard. Quality play from Zverev and he levels the score once again and breaks Nadal's streaking of winning points. Zverev's backhand return hits the nets and Nadal takes the lead again. It's a fifth set point in the game and second for Nadal. But he failed to convert it as his backhand return goes long. It's 8-all now. Nadal then draws Zverev forward and Nadal reads his position perfectly and Zverev errs. It's 9-8 for Nadal. AND NADAL DOES IT!!!!!

Zverev continues his dominance after change of ends. Maintains a three-point lead now. Zverev's forehand works for him again. Takes a four-point lead now. Some respite for the Spaniard as he pulls one back with an ace. Zverev still on set point, and remains on set point as the edgy volley after the wide serve gives Nadal another bit of respite. WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT! That return had genius written all over it. The forehand whips sails past Zverev and finds the end of the service box. He still has a set point to save. And he saves it. Wins four points in a row to make it 6-all in the tie-breaker. 

Nadal takes the first point in the tie-breaker. Zverev takes the second with a wide serve. Zverev however missed the forehand on the next point and Nadal goes 2-1 up. This time Nadal's forehand hits the net and it's 2-2 in the tie-breaker. Some risky tennis from Nadal and he couldn't deflect the ball into the open court and he concedes the lead. Powerful forehand return from Zverev and Nadal's response does not find the line. Zverev leads 4-2 now. It's an hour and 18 minutes in the clock already. 

Nadal is 10-2 in 2022 in tie-breakers which includes one in the Djokovic game while Zverev is 12-2

Three huge serves and Zverev keeps the first set alive. Nadal then reads his second serve and targets Zverev's backhand that rams the net. Zverev still 40-15 up. A 4th double fault reduces the gap to 40-30. A little bit of luck and he survives. Time for the tie-breaker. 

Poor from Nadal at the net and it gives Zverev the opportunity to act. 0-15 up. Nadal's forehand whip then goes over the line. Zverev playing with all his might. He goes 0-30 up now. The drop shot works perfectly for Nadal and he pulls one back. That was a disguised one and Zverev did not see that coming. Another win on drop shot as Zverev's return goes over the line. It's 30-all now. Nadal slices it but Zverev's wonderous crosscourt backhand return finds the line. Break point opportunity for Zverev. Nadal then surprises him with a wide serve, towards Zverev's backhand as the return sails over Nadal and over the line. Zverev pushing Nadal to his backhand and then pushing the winner towards the forehand zone. Nadal keeps the game alive with another perfectly disguised return this time at the net. A second deuce in the game. Zverev errs on return and Nadal gains advantage. It's Nadal's turn to survive. 

Nadal* 6-5 Zverev

The backhand from Nadal fails to find the line beside the service box while Zverev's return goes long on the next point. A volley into the empty court gives Zverev a 30-15 lead. Nadal then aims to target Zverev's backhand and repetitive firing gets him to err and it's 30-all now. Zverev then goes 40-30 up but a second double fault forces a deuce. This is the 53rd time Nadal has forced a deuce in this tournament. Zverev then draws Nadal forward and the wins on a perfect volley. Zverev's forehand then went long and it's deuce again. The forehand once again errs for Zverev as it finds the net to give Nadal the advantage. A perfect serve for Zverev once again helps him bring it down to deuce.  This time Nadal errs on his backhand and Zverev gets an advantage. A third double fault follows then. It's deuce again! The volley goes over the line at end of the rally and it's advantage Nadal in the 10th game of the opening set. Zverev sets him up with a serve and gets the volley right this time. A 5th deuce in this game now. Zverev misses the next one…the forehand goes long over the sideline and Nadal gets an advantage. It's a third set point for Nadal. Zverev is not giving up. Another serve wide and volley tactic works in his favour. It's deuce again and he converts it to an advantage. But he still can't get over the line as the easiest of all volleys hits the net. 6th deuce now. Nadal had the opportunity to get the advantage, but this time erred on his backhand return as it went over the line. And Zverev keeps the set alive. 

Nadal 5-5 Zverev*

Nadal's return fails to find the line and so does Zverev's forehand on the next point. Zverev then rams the backhand return into the net while Nadal sends his backhand over the line. It's 30-all now. An ace helps Nadal's cause and so does another. 

Nadal* 5-4 Zverev

How was that for a return from Nadal! Finds the line off the backhand return and its 15-all. Zverev then put too much power behind his forehand as the return failed to find the line. But a volley into the empty court and an ace down the T gives him the lead again on serve. However, he concedes it after a failed backhand return that went well over the line. And there comes the first double fault from Zverev. 'Rafa' chants echoes through court Philippe Chatrier. A long 19-shot rally and Rafa errs on forehand return as Zverev makes it deuce again. WHAT WAS THAT! Set up beautifully with a powerful serve down the line, but the volley went well out of the mark and so did his racquet. So another break point for Nadal. AND NADAL BREAKS

Nadal holds serve to love as he maintains pressure on Zverev. 

Nadal* 3-4 Zverev