Zverev 6-3 7-6 5-3* Nadal
Some of the tennis in this match has been otherworldly. Fourth seed Zverev has needed to perform very, very well to beat Nadal, which is a sign of how well Nadal has played, too.
Nadal comes to the net and crashes it beyond Zverev for 0-15, and he clenches his fist and whips up the crowd for good measure! He needs to harness that emotional energy for the rest of this set, you feel.
An ambitious drop shot nearly comes off, but not quite. Close but no cigar, 15-all. But he volleys Zverev away for 15-30! And the trumpets in the crowd are set ablaze again. Double fault for 15-40.
Nadal’s wife Maria allows a smile to play across her lips as she holds Rafael’s son, Rafa Junior. Ah, but with the adrenaline coursing through his veins, maybe too much, he goes long after giving his shot a little too much juice.
Zverev jams it cross-court past Nadal, right on the line, and Nadal can’t quite believe it’s beaten him. It needed to be very good to do so. He nets, exhaustedly, and Zverev has suddenly won three points in a row to take the advantage.
A slow, rhythmic, long-jump-style clap to urge Nadal on… but super, super stuff from Zverev to defend Nadal, and then attack him cross-court with an angular backhand. Winner. And hold.