French Open 2022 LIVE: Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev latest score and updates after epic first-set tiebreak

Follow for live updates as Rafael Nadal takes on Alexander Zverev for a place in the French Open final on what is set to be another blockbuster day of action at Roland Garros. Nadal has had two days to recover from his momentous and epic victory over his great rival Novak Djokovic in Tuesday’s quarter-final, with the 13-time French Open champion sealing the four-set win at 1.15am local time.

Nadal has admitted that this could be his last French Open due to his chronic foot injury and the Spaniard, who turns 36 today, faces another seismic challenge against Zverev. The German defeated rising star Carlos Alcaraz in what was another thrilling quarter-final upset, and was perhaps the best win of the 25-year-old’s grand slam career as he seeks to win his first major.

After playing in the night session on Tuesday on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Nadal is back to his preferred afternoon slot for the first of two men’s semi-finals today. Later on, Marin Cilic will look to advance to the fourth grand slam final of his career and continue his unlikely journey at this year’s French Open. The Croatian had not progressed further than the fourth round of a slam since 2018 and will take on the Norwegian Casper Ruud who is aiming to reach a grand slam final for the first time in his career.

Follow for live scores and updates from Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, below:

French Open: Latest scores and updates

• Nadal saves four set points to take opening tiebreak 10-8

• Nadal vs Zverev underway with the roof closed

• Cilic vs Ruud follows on Philippe-Chatrier

• Coco Gauff through to French Open doubles final

• Hewett and Reid through to wheelchair doubles final

*Nadal 7-6, 1-0 Zverev - Nadal breaks!

15:48 , Jamie Braidwood

Nadal produces a couple of brilliant angles to take the opening two points with a drop shot and then volley, almost catching Zverev by surprise with the change up.

Zverev’s head must have dropped and after he goes long on the next point, he suddenly finds himself 0-40 on his opening service game.

And there it is, just like that Zverev goes long again and Nadal strikes early in the second.

Nadal 7-6 Zverev

15:45 , Jamie Braidwood

What an extraordinary set of tennis. Zverev was a break up, playing superbly well, then had four set points in the tiebreak, but Nadal has pulled off an incredible robbery and leads after 91 gruelling minutes.

Both players have taken a break after that. Zverev will be struggling to understand how he is not a set up but his level slipped at some crucial points, while Nadal found his best stuff from 2-6 down.

This could be a long one, we’re back underway.

Nadal 7-6 Zverev - Nadal wins the opening set!

15:39 , Jamie Braidwood

Magic from Nadal! Another flying forehand winner from the Spaniard, whipping a brilliant pass down the line!

It’s his set point now, but Zverev hangs on after catching the baseline with a deep backhand. The crowd thought it was out as Nadal’s pick-up drifts out.

7-7 now, as both players keep it cautious, only for Zverev to drop a backhand into the net!

Set point Nadal, and on serve. But no! He had a chance after stepping into the court but tried to do too much with the backhand across court, as he pushes it wide!

8-8, as we reach 1 hour 30 minutes for this opening set! Nadal brings Zverev in with the drop shot but the pass from the German is tame and Nadal wins the point as Zverev can’t return on the volley.

Set point, again, and there it is! Zverev leaves Nadal the narrowest of corridors after stepping into the net, and Nadal plays a sublime winner down the line to take the opening set.

What a remarkable opener - how has Nadal won that??

Nadal 6-6 Zverev

15:32 , Jamie Braidwood

Huge hitting from Zverev as he surges into a 5-2 lead, putting Nadal under massive pressure on his serve. But Zverev steps it up again, back to the levels he was setting earlier in the match, as he crushes the groundstrokes deep to pin Nadal back, before unloading into the corner.

The first of four set points is saved by Nadal with an ace out wide, before Zverev goes long as he tried to close it out with a serve and volley! The serve was perfect but not for the first time, the volley let him down!

And that is why you can’t count Nadal out! It’s the shot of the match so far! Zverev must have thought he’d won the set after playing a brilliant point and forcing Nadal running, but he picked up the forehand on the stretch to unleash the passing winner across court! Sensational.

Back on Nadal’s serve now. And how did Nadal win that point! The drop shot was good but Zverev reached it, before putting a ball into the corner. Nadal scrambled back to find the lob, as Zverev goes wide on the backhand smash!

Nadal has saved four set points and it’s 6-6 in the tiebreak!

Nadal 6-6 Zverev

15:22 , Jamie Braidwood

Nadal has Zverev chasing on the opening point and the German goes long as he digs out a backhand from behind the baseline, only for Zverev to respond immediately with a unreturnable serve out wide. 1-1

Zverev then goes long under little pressure with his forehand, but Nadal can’t take advantage as he clips a forehand into the net. 2-2

Zverev gets away with one after Nadal rushes into the net. There was space either side of Nadal but his passing shot was straight at Nadal, who puts the forehad wide.

And Zverev heads into the change of ends 4-2 up after stepping up the power and forcing Nadal wide!

Nadal 6-6 Zverev

15:19 , Jamie Braidwood

Excellent from Zverev to go from being on the back foot to attacking Nadal with a deep ball at his feet, followed by a forehand which Nadal can’t return. A strong first serve results in a ace down the middle as he inches away from another out wide.

It looks like we’re heading for a simple hold but a backhand from Zverev into the net is followed by a double fault - his fourth of the set. Zverev then gets away with it as he clips the net, leaving Nadal unable to reach the ball as it drops on his side of the court.

Tiebreak time!

Nadal 6-5 Zverev*

15:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Nadal faces a pressure point on a second serve but Zverev shovels the return into the net. He would want that back. The German then blinks again on a forehand and Nadal is able to escape with his hold after saving two break points.

Nadal 5-5 Zverev*

15:13 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev finds his level from the first seven games as he goes on the attack, first stepping into a short ball from Nadal to put away a winner and then outlasting him from the baseline with a brutal display of power.

Nadal reponds with a delicate drop shot that Zverev is unable to reach before the double bounce. Nadal then repeats the trick and although Zverev can reach it this time, he steers the volley wide.

It gets tense between both players, who exchange short balls through the middle of the court, before Zverev changes it up with a backhand winner that catches the line! Brilliant angle.

It sets up break point, but Nadal survives with an excellent serve out wide as Zverev sees the return drift long. Zverev keeps the pressure up, as he again wins the long point and gets the winner with an unstoppable inside out forehand winner.

Nadal returns to the serve and volley and is able to drop it beyond Zverev at the net! Another long game, and we go on.

Nadal 5-5 Zverev*

15:12 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev finds his level from the first seven games as he goes on the attack, first stepping into a short ball from Nadal to put away a winner and then outlasting him from the baseline with a brutal display of power.

Nadal reponds with a delicate drop shot that Zverev is unable to reach before the double bounce. Nadal then repeats the trick and although Zverev can reach it this time, he steers the volley wide.

It gets tense between both players, who exchange short balls through the middle of the court, before Zverev changes it up with a backhand winner that catches the line! Brilliant angle.

It sets up break point, but Nadal survives with an excellent serve out wide as Zverev sees the return drift long. Zverev keeps the pressure up, as he again wins the long point and gets the winner with an unstoppable inside out forehand winner.

Nadal returns to the serve and volley and is able to drop it beyond Zverev at the net! Another long game, and we go on.

*Nadal 5-5 Zverev - Zverev holds

15:05 , Jamie Braidwood

Another error from Zverev brings up a third set point! Nadal was racing around the court as Zverev again tried to play on the front foot but the groundstrokes are not landing with the same accuracy as he pushes one wide.

Zverev gets out of it again with his biggest serve of the match so far, using the one-two punch to put away the forehand winner across court.

Another bomb, this time down the middle, is flicked into the net by a stretching Nadal. It would be quite the hold to get out of this. And we go on! Zverev had the chance to step into the net but he looked awkward trying to adjust to the volleu and nets again!

Back to deuce, and another volley error from Zverev! He clips the net cord with a simple smash but he gets away with it as Nadal goes long! And there’s the hold! My goodness that was tense game of errors, but Zverev produces a brilliant serve out wide and then finishes it with a deft volley at the net.

That was tough but Zverev gets through it, after I think 13 or 14 minutes.

Nadal 5-4 Zverev*

14:55 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev’s first-serve percentage has dropped and Nadal is now able to step into the court more frequently. He moves around a backhand to send a forehand down the line that Zverev can’t return, to put the German under pressure at 30-30. Zverev responds with a winner out wide, but his second double fault brings up another deuce!

Zverev comes into the net and brings in Nadal with a dropped volley, before putting away the smash. He then rather frames a forehand as Nadal upped the pressure with a deep shot into the corner. Zverev then can’t put Nadal away with a forehand, with the Spaniard stranded on the edge of the court, before he nets!

Set point Nadal! But Zverev finds the first serve out wide and Nada; nets. It’s such a big weapon, and Nadal nets again on the opposite side after Zverev pushed him deep.

Oh, tension. Zverev wheels away in frustration after his second double fault of the game. Zverev then has Nadal right where he wanted him as he came into the net, but put the volley long!

Second set point! But again, Zverev lands a big one out wide and this time makes no mistake with the volley as he smacks it away.

Nadal 5-4 Zverev*

14:50 , Jamie Braidwood

A penny for Zverev’s thoughts right now. After a near faultless first seven games his first errors of the match are punished as Nadal breaks back. Two strong serves from Nadal gets him out of a tense moment at 30-30 as Zverev fails to return on both occasions.

Now, can Zverev get his aggression back?

*Nadal 4-4 Zverev - Nadal breaks!

14:41 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev hasn’t put a foot wrong so far but after taking the first point of his next service game a floated drop shot is ill-advised. Nadal puts away the backhand pass and then Zverev falters with a error on his backhand side. That raises the noise inside Philippe-Chatrier as the crowd recognise a chance, but Zverev steadies with two first serves- the first finishes with a planted volley and the second an ace down the middle. But Nadal keeps the pressure on, as Zverev swings at a forehand that drifts long.

Our first deuce of the match! Oh my. Zverev has barely had a second serve to make so far but he double faults to bring up break point! Oh and this was a chance. Zverev went short after a tense rally but Nadal nets on the forehand after stepping inside the court!

Drama! Zverev found his first serve but then makes a horrible error as he put a smash volley a good 10 feet wide! His racquet flew out of his hand. On the next break point, Nadal picks up a clever angle and Zverev blinks on the backhand crosscourt! Out of nowhere, Nadal breaks!

Nadal 3-4 Zverev*

14:36 , Jamie Braidwood

Nadal plays his shot of the match so far with a wonderful backhand pass to move 30-0 up on his serve. The slice worked for him there and had more of an angle to it to disrupt the Zverev power. He then comes into the net and drops the volley with a lovely touch of backspin. Zverev sends a forehand down the line a inch or two wide as Nadal replies with a hold of love of his own.

*Nadal 2-4 Zverev

14:33 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev generates a mighty bounce on an opening ace down the middle, before he switches for a wide serve followed by backhand winner down the line. Nadal is again forced wide but hangs on, only for Zverev to run across and unleash a brilliant backhand winner down the line - that was even better than the last.

And that is a perfect hold of serve, as Zverev connects with a forehand winner across court. That took just 82 seconds. Two more of them and he will be a set up.

Nadal 2-3 Zverev*

14:29 , Jamie Braidwood

“Come on,” Nadal mutters as he sends an ace down the T, after playing his first drop shot of the match on the opening point. Zverev is winning the longer rallies, though, as he forces Nadal to chase from side to side and then sees him net. Nadal goes back to the wide serve which is working on Zverev. The German nets and then goes long as Nadal moves on with a quick hold.

*Nadal 1-3 Zverev

14:26 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev comes into the net for the first time and calmly puts away the backhand volley at the second attempt. That big serve of his quickly moves him to 30-0 and Nadal, who is struggling for answers at the moment, sees a backhand drift long after intense Zverev pressure.

Nadal comes up with the angle on Zverev’s next serve to force the error into the net and the German then goes long, but he takes the hold with a well-placed serve out wide to Nadal’s backhand.

Nadal 1-2 Zverev*

14:20 , Jamie Braidwood

Nadal slices again on the opening point of his service game before Zverev wraps his arm around another forehand winner.

Nadal replies with a strong serve up the middle of the court but another short ball from the Spaniard is lapped up by Zverev, who steps up to the ball and crushes another winner, this time on the backhand side.

Nadal opens up the angle and moves Zverev around on the next point to get back to 30-30 and Zverev would want his next two returns back as he nets on the forehand and then backhand sides.

*Nadal 0-2 Zverev

14:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Such power from Zverev. Nadal nets on his first return before Zverev powers a winner down the line. The 25-year-old then smacks down his first ace to race to 40-0.

A couple of errors from Zverev get Nadal back into it, but he steps into a short ball from Nadal to unleash a forehand crosscourt winner that Nadal can’t reach.

Nadal 0-1 Zverev* - Zverev breaks!

14:12 , Jamie Braidwood

What a start for the German! Zverev immediately went on the attack on his groundstrokes, undeterred by dropping the first couple of points after clipping the net, and pulls himself back to 30-30.

Nadal, having to slice to slow Zverev down, then nets on a backhand to hand the German an early break point. Zverev had to hang on in the point after Nadal forced him wide, before the Spaniard went long. Who saw that coming?

*denotes next server

Nadal vs Zverev

14:06 , Jamie Braidwood

Here we GO! Both players are out on court as birthday boy Nadal is greeted by what is essentially his home crowd on Philippe-Chatrier.

Oh and that indoor record mentioned previously in the Nadal vs Zverev head-to-head stats? That’s relevant today because the roof is closed on Philppe-Chatier.

It’s a horrid day in Paris and with the roof shut, that could lead to different conditions for today’s match and could suit the German.

Nadal will serve first.

Nadal vs Zverev: Head to head

14:02 , Jamie Braidwood

Overall record: Nadal 6-3 Zverev

Last meeting: Rome, 2021 - Nadal 6-3 6-4 Zverev

Clay record: Nadal 4-1 Zverev

Indoor record: Zverev 2-0 Nadal

Alexander Zverev: French Open so far

14:01 , Jamie Braidwood

1st round: 6-2 6-4 6-4 vs Sebastian Ofner

2nd round: 2-6 4-6 6-1 6-2 7-5 vs Sebastian Baez

3rd round: 7-6(2) 6-3 7-6(5) vs Brandon Nakashima

4th round: 7-6(11) 7-5 6-3 vs Bernabe Zapata Miralles

Quarter-final: 6-4 6-4 4-6 7-6(7) vs Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal: French Open so far

14:00 , Jamie Braidwood

1st round: 6-2 6-2 6-2 vs Jordan Thompson

2nd round: 6-3 6-1 6-4 vs Corentin Moutet

3rd round: 6-3 6-2 6-4 vs Botic van de Zandschulp

4th round: 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 vs Felix Auger-Aliassime

Quarter-final: 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6(5) vs Novak Djokovic

How to watch the French Open online and on TV

13:55 , Jamie Braidwood

You can catch live action from Roland Garros on Eurosport 1 - Sky channel 410, BT 435, Virgin 521. Coverage starts from 10.30am, with Eurosport 2 (Sky 411, BT 436, Virgin 522).

You can also live stream the action on Discovery+, a subscription is £6.99 per month or £59.99 annually on Sky, Amazon Prime Video channels, Roku and Vodafone. With the app available on the following devices: LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV.

Hewett and Reid through to wheelchair doubles final

13:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid are through to their 10th consecutive grand slam final in the wheelchair doubles after defeating the Spanish pair Daniel Caverzaschi and Martin De La Puente 6-3 3-6 1-0 (10-8) this morning.

Hewett and Reid have won the past nine grand slam titles and they can continue their extraordinary run when they face Gustavo Fernandez and Shingo Kunieda in the final.

Hewett saw the defence of his French Open singles title came to an end against Fernandez 6-1 6-1 in what was a heavy defeat on Thursday.

Coco Gauff through to French Open doubles final

13:35 , Jamie Braidwood

The prospect of a French Open double remains alive for Coco Gauff.

After defeating Martina Trevisan on Thursday to set up a singles final against Iga Swiatek, the 18-year-old partnered up with Jessica Pegula to reach the doubles final with a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Taylor Townsend and Madison Keys in an all-American semi-final earlier today.

While Gauff will play in her first singles final tomorrow against Swiatek, she reached the US Open doubles final last season.

Barbora Krejcikova pulled off the French Open double last season after winning both titles.

Zverev confident of taking down Nadal after beating Alcaraz

13:25 , Jamie Braidwood

Zverev on the challenge of beating Nadal at the French Open: “There is a reason why they are the best in the world at Grand Slams. [Nadal] has 21. They are top of the game for the past 15, 20 years, and there is a big reason for that.

“At the end, yes, I have not beaten [one of tennis’ big three] in majors, but I feel like I was very close. I feel like I have had very difficult and tough matches against them.

“But there is a big difference between having a tough match and beating them. Still a major difference. So hopefully I can manage and take this win today and put it on the court on Friday.”

Zverev ‘at the stage where I want to win'

13:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Alexander Zverev, speaking after defeating Carlos Alcaraz to reach the French Open semi-finals: “At the end of the day, I said a lot of times, I’m not 20 or 21 years old anymore; I’m 25. I am at the stage where I want to win, I’m at the stage where I’m supposed to win, as well.

“We still have the best players in the world playing with Novak, Rafa, and Roger is coming back. I’m not sure at the age of 41 if he is going to win Grand Slams again but obviously you have to mention him. Then you have the new generation. But I think our generation is very strong as well. We have Tsitsipas, Medvedev who is a US Open champion. I mean, me, I won big events like the Olympics, as well.

“I think tennis is at quite a high level right now, men’s tennis, and I think that you have the mix of the best in the world like Rafa and Novak and Roger, if he comes back, but you have to name the mix of the newer generation as well who are a threat to them, I think.”

Nadal faces ‘mental challenge’ against Zverev

13:05 , Jamie Braidwood

Tim Henman believes Rafael Nadal’s biggest challenge against Alexander Zverev at the French Open will be mental rather than physical.

Nadal shrugged off a chronic foot injury to beat arch-rival, defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic in four gruelling sets on Tuesday night.

The Spaniard, who turns 36 on Friday, faces another huge test of his fitness when he takes on 25-year-old world number three Zverev in the semi-final.

But Eurosport pundit and former British number one Henman said: “Rafa’s physicality is unbelievable.

“Let’s wind the clock back to when we saw him walking off the court having lost to Denis Shapovalov and he was limping in Rome. Then 10 days later he’s in this tournament playing incredible tennis, he had to really pull it out of the bag against (Felix) Auger-Aliassime to go the five sets.

“We know he’s not getting any younger, but then to recover and to go up against Djokovic – one of his greatest rivals, the number one player in the world – and put in a performance like that, not only the quality of the tennis but his attitude, the physicality for four hours and 12 minutes, it’s incredible.”

More here:

Rafael Nadal faces ‘mental challenge’ against Alexander Zverev at French Open

Nadal reiterates French Open could be his last

13:00 , Jamie Braidwood

Ahead of today’s match, Rafael Nadal suggested that this year’s French Open could be his last, with injury continuing to plague the former world No 1 despite his scintillating quarter-final victory over Novak Djokovic.

Nadal has lifted the men’s singles trophy 13 times at Roland Garros, making him the most successful player in the history of the tournament. No player has won that many titles at any of the other Grand Slams, and Nadal holds more major trophies than any men’s player (21).

The Spaniard moved a step closer to a 14th French Open trophy by seeing off rival Djokovic on Tuesday, defeating the world No 1 in four sets in a late finish on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Each step is becoming increasingly difficult for Nadal, however, as he continues to battle a chronic foot injury.

Rafael Nadal reiterates French Open could be his last after beating Novak Djokovic