2019 champion:
Rafael Nadal (2) who defeated Dominic Thiem (4) 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1
Quarter finals
Novak Djokovic (1) v Pablo Carreño Busta (17)
The pair was meeting for the first time since the default of the world #1 in the US Open round of sixteen. Carreño Busta was comfortable on serve and it was Djokovic who suffered the first break, in the fifth game of the opening set.
Djokovic broke back for 4-4, but the Spaniard took charge to win the final two games and set 6-4. Djokovic saved break points in both the third and fifth games of set two, but managed to crack the Spanish serve twice, the second when Carreño Busta was serving at 2-5 to stay in the set. With the match level, Djokovic started set three shakily, holding serve after saving two break points. He then broke serve and maintained that edge until the fifth game where the break back occurred.
The seventh game saw a lost opportunity for Carreño Busta, but Djokovic took advantage of his when converting a break chance to lead 5-3. He served out the set 6-3.
Carreño Busta save five break points through the first half of set four before finally relenting to the Djokovic pressure in the seventh game. And in the longest game of the match, Djokovic saved three break points, wasted two game points, en route to consolidation of the break.
Novak Djokovic served out the match, his toughest yet in the tournament, 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-4, to reach his 38th Grand Slam semi final.
Andrey Rublev (13) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (5)
Rublev had beaten Tsitsipas in all previous meetings, including the recent Hamburg final, and both had early five set scares here in Paris. However, they survived to reach this replay. They each saved break points in the first few games, but Rublev also broke in the fifth game, and ultimately was serving for the first set at 5-4. He crumbled and Tsitsipas not only broke back, but ripped through the next two games, converting his first set point, and tucking 7-5 into his tennis bag.
Not content with that, the Greek number one tore the Russian’s heart with breaks in the sixth and eighth games of set two, the latter also a set point.
A single break in the fourth game of set three was sufficient to end Rublev’s assault on the title. Tsitsipas had one chance on Rublev’s serve at 2-5 to win, but had to wait till the next game to serve his way into the semis with his comprehensive 7-5 6-2 6-3 victory.
Semi final match ups
Novak Djokovic (1) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (5)
Diego Schwartzman (12) v Rafael Nadal (2)
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