Rafael Nadal earned his 14th French Open final appearance in unfortunate fashion Friday after Germany’s Alexander Zverev suffered a devastating ankle injury in the second set.
An ill-timed slip during the second set sent Zverev to the ground in substantial pain, prematurely ending their semi-final clash at Roland Garros. A concerned Nadal looked on and even attempted to assist his fallen opponent as Zverev’s trainer tended to the injury.
During his interview with NBC Sports after the match, Nadal, still visibly disappointed in the sudden turn of events, offered a classy message to Zverev.
“Very tough and very sad for him, honestly,” Nadal said.