French Open 2020, Semi Final Highlights: Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to set up final against Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic into the final

Djokovic is into his fifth French Open final beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 4-6, 6-1 in almost four hours. There he will face Rafael Nadal. Djokovic chasing an 18th Grand Slam title, Nadal a 20th. Who will it be?

Set 4: Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4

What an incredible turnaround! Novak Djokovic converts just one of 11 break point chances and Stefanos Tsitsipas takes the fourth set to force a decider. An hour ago, Djokovic was a point away from a straight sets win. Now? It is Stefanos with the momentum. 

Set 3: Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5

Looking down and out, Stefanos Tsitsipas gets himself out of the brink to take the third set. Saves a match point to finally get the break on 11th chance and at the most opportune time. Reels off three straight games to take the match into a fourth set

Second set: Djokovic 6-2

Novak Djokovic wins the second set 6-2 in 38 minutes and is now one set away from another match-up with Rafael Nadal. Stefanos Tsitsipas losing way in the middle, not making break points count and Djokovic has run away with this set. 

First set: Djokovic 6-3

Novak Djokovic takes the opening set 6-3 in 43 minutes. Stefanos Tsitsipas had multiple break chances in the very first game but couldn't convert and Djokovic broke in the second game to make the advantage count in the end. 

Rafael Nadal speaks after the match:

It's always a great moment, to play here, and to be in the Roland Garros final again, that's truly special. 

There were a couple of points on which I was under pressure and made a few mistakes, he played really well. I missed a volley here and there. I always knew it would be a difficult match right up until the end with Diego. Two and a half or three weeks ago, I lost in Rome, so I expected a really tough match here. I'm happy with the way I played, I feel like I've been improving and today was a great win for me. 

I've been playing with him for years, I've faced him many times. It's true that he's better every single match though. In Rome, I lost, and he played well. He's been playing well for weeks, a few days ago he played an incredible match against Dominic Thiem here. Of course, we took a look at that match in Rome. We tried to analyse the things that didn't work and make a few changes, and I'm really happy that what we did worked today.

Game, Set, Match: Rafael Nadal wins 6-3, 6-3, 7(0)-6

Excellent start from Nadal! He wraps up the first two points in the tiebreak, including a mini-break! Make that three, he's really upped his level here! Double minibreak for Nadal. It's 4-0 to Rafa now, Schwartzman fluffs his lines on an overhead, he really should have landed that. Another backhand goes long for Schwartzman, it's all gone a bit pear-shaped here. 5-0. Another error from Schwartzman. 6-0 to Nadal, and more importantly, six match points. The 13th is on! Nadal completes his 99th victory at Roland Garros! Schwartzman gave it his all, but his all just was not enough.

Second set: Rafael Nadal 6-3!

First point goes Rafa's way, but Schwartzman makes up for it with an exquisite passage of play in which he pushes Nadal wide and then hits the Spaniard's lofted ball into the open court. Nadal gets an edge on a backhand in the following rally, and it flies wide. Oi vey, double fault from Schwartzman and it comes at the worst possible time. He thwacks a forehand across court on the next point, but it's inches wide. Set point for Nadal. The first serve misses. The second lands, but Schwartzman loses the point after a powerful Nadal forehand can't be returned by the Argentine. Nadal is up two sets and cruising!

First Set: Rafael Nadal 6-3

Nadal drops the first point thanks to a Schwartzman backhand winner. Schwartzman's really sticking to his strategy of keeping Nadal pinned in at the backhand side, and he seems to be getting some results from it. He messes up a backhand of his own though, and it's 15-15. Nadal's struggling a bit on the backhands here, and he miscues another, sending it wide. Nadal uses his serve well on the next point to make it 30-30, Schwartzman can't make the return. Another good serve and he's on set point. What can Schwartzman do here? Nadal misses his first serve, which makes it a little easier for the Argentine. It's deuce! Nadal can't clear the net with a forehand.

Huge Nadal backhand winner from nowhere, and he's back on set point. There's not much wrong with what Schwartzman was doing in the rally, but Nadal is just that good. Nadal makes an error! Schwartzman is doing really well to go for the Spaniard's second serve. We're back on deuce! This has the feel of a turning point in the match. Nadal's back on set point, with a delicate dropshot. And Nadal's won the first set 6-3, thanks to a Schwartzman unforced error! Phew, that was intense!

Hello and welcome to Firstpost.com's coverage of the French Open men's singles semi-finals!

Rafael Nadal will be playing in his 34th Grand Slam semi-final as he pursues a record-tying 20th major championship and 13th title at the French Open. Meanwhile, his opponent, Diego Schwartzman has never been this far at a Slam. In the second match of the night, Novak Djokovic will be participating in his 38th Grand Slam semi-final as he eyes his 18th major championship. He will be up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has only once before been in a major semi-final, which he lost. Stay tuned as we bring you all the latest updates and the live score from what promises to be an action-packed evening!