In  their  58th  career  clash,  world  number one Djokovic triumphed 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4),  6-2  in  the  semi-final  and  stays  on  course  to  capture  a  19th  major  and  become  the  first  man  in  over  50  years  to  win all four Slams twice.

Nadal,  the  defending  champion  and  chasing   a   record-setting   21st   Grand   Slam  title,  refused  to  dwell  on  the  consequences of his 4-hour 11-minute loss.“I am sad to have lost in the most important tournament of the year for me, but life goes on, it is nothing more than a defeat on a tennis court,” said 35-year-old  Nadal.

“If  everything  goes  well,  to-morrow I will be at home with my family  and  friends,  and  then  we  will  see  what is next.” Nadal said he plans to be back  in  2022  although  admitting  that  time  is  not  on  his  side  if  he  wants  to  re-establish his Paris dominance.

“Although   it   is   a   very   important   tournament for me, I am aware that you cannot win it 15 or 16 times,” he added.“Next  year  I  will  come  again,  God  willing,  with  the  belief  and  with  the  necessary work to be able to give myself another chance.

”In   their   58th   career   meeting,   and   ninth  at  the  French  Open,  Nadal  had  looked  comfortably  on  course  for  victory when he raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set.  But  2016  champion  Djokovic,  the  man now responsible for two of Nadal’s losses in Paris having also triumphed in the 2015 quarter-finals, hit back.