French Open 2019, semi-finals live: Djokovic-Thiem match called off due to bad weather

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 1-3 Dominic Thiem – Match called off

The match will resume at 3.30 pm on Friday.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 1-3 Dominic Thiem – Rain break

This might be a longer break. Another chance for Djokovic to regroup.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 1-3 Dominic Thiem

THIEM BREAKS! Another breakpoint opportunity for Thiem. Djokovic saved the first one but Thiem set up another one with a backhand passing shot and then a powerful forehand saw Djokovic’s reply go too long. Immediately after the break, the players went off the court.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 1-2 Dominic Thiem

Thiem is going for it and it is coming off for now. Djokovic is starting to up his level a little. We are finally having some nice rallies in the match. Good hold for the Austrian though.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 1-1 Dominic Thiem

A lovely drop shot gave Thiem a breakpoint but an unforced error took it to deuce. Djokovic needed two game points before he finally sealed it. It was a long game but the Serb survives.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 0-1 Dominic Thiem

Easy hold for Thiem. His serve was firing and there was little that Djokovic could have done. Good start to the third set for the Austrian.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3 Dominic Thiem

Second set to Djokovic! A little more consistency and it is making a huge difference. The break in play seems to have help the Serb. He looks more settled. On the other hand, errors are creeping into Thiem’s game now.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 5-3 Dominic Thiem

A double break point and Djokovic needed just one as a Thiem forehand goes long. The world no 1 is showing great fight here and has broken the Austrian for the first time in the match. He is now serving for the second set.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 4-3 Dominic Thiem

Djokovic is looking more focussed in the middle, less irritated by the conditions. He needs to do that because Thiem is not going away. Love game for the world no 1. Still on serve in the second.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 3-3 Dominic Thiem

Thiem holds on – he is yet to face a breakpoint today. An indication of perhaps how Djokovic has struggled today. Thiem is clearing adapting to the conditions better.

8.33 pm: The conditions are still windy but play has resumed in the semi-final. No warmups, action begins right away.

8.27 pm: The delay is not expected to be long according to the commentators.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 3-2 Dominic Thiem: RAIN IN PARIS

Play suspended in Paris (that roof can’t come soon enough) as the rain intensifies. Players rush back in, Djokovic quicker than Thiem as he needs the break more. But it is expected to pass quickly.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 2-1 Dominic Thiem: A significant hold for Djokovic as he saves two break points to keep the set on serve.

Novak Djokovic 2-6, 1-1 Dominic Thiem: Better from Djokovic as he holds serve to start the second set. Thiem does the same. Groundstroke quality better from the Serb in the early part of this set too.

Novak Djokovic 2-6 Dominic Thiem: And there it is. Thiem wastes no time to take the first set with alarming ease against the world No 1 Djokovic. Just 27 minutes for that set. But, we all know what Djokovic is capable when he is pushed to a corner.

Novak Djokovic 2-5 Dominic Thiem: Wow, 8 straight points for Thiem as Djokovic is broken at love. Nothing going right for the Serb at the moment. Missing simple shots. Thiem will serve for the first set... as the conditions worsen. Gusts in between points making life difficult for both players.

Novak Djokovic 2-4 Dominic Thiem: The Austrian has just lost one point in this three service games so far. Solid start. Holds this game at love and moves to a 4-2 lead.

Novak Djokovic 2-3 Dominic Thiem: Both players hold serve after the mini delay. The breeze got so strong for a moment there that an umbrella flew into the court.

Novak Djokovic 1-2 Dominic Thiem: Delay in play

The umbrellas are out as it looks like there is a slight drizzle. The players are still out on court and there is no sign yet of them being called in. In fact, we have resumption immediately.

Novak Djokovic 1-2 Dominic Thiem: Break of serve in the second semifinal and it’s Thiem who takes the early lead. A solid game from the Austrian as he let rip his backhand consistently.

7.39 pm: Not as smooth but a hold for Thiem as well to begin with.

7.37 pm: Djokovic, aiming to become just the second man to hold all four Slams at the same time, starts with a hold to love.

7.34 pm: Time for the second men’s semi-final Top seed Novak Djokovic takes on last year’s runner-up Dominic Thiem.

7.11 pm: Next up, is the second semi-final between Novak Djokovic vs Dominic Thiem. Should be a cracker, join us soon for updates.

7.09 pm: And what can one say about Nadal! Brilliant, doesn’t begin to describe it. Nadal’s first serve percentage was super impressive. It would have been one of the areas that Federer was looking to exploit. But Nadal shut the down on that. The Spaniard also hit more backhand than forehand winners.

7.07 pm: Federer gets a rousing applause as he leaves the court. Not just from the fans, but from Nadal too. It’s been a good return to Paris for him.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 6-2 Roger Federer: The King of Clay marches on!

Nadal is into his 12th #FrenchOpen final. The 11-time champion beats Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to win Fedal bowl XXXIX & take their head-to-head 24-15.

7.00 pm: *Two match points for the King of Clay.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 5-2 Roger Federer: Breadstick avoided by RF!

Couple of game points for Federer to avoid a breadstick but then he double faults. A stunning half volley on his approach to the net when it looked like Nadal had hit a pass means Federer avoids a breadstick! “He’ll have that shot to take away from this match,” says the commentator.

Nadal to serve for the match...

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 5-1 Roger Federer: Credit to Federer, he pushes Nadal on his service game and takes it to deuce. A bruising rally follows where Federer once again fights hard to stay in the point but dumps a forehand long. Followed by a poor backhand. Silence on court as Nadal takes a 5-1 lead. Federer to serve to stay in the match.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 4-1 Roger Federer: Oh man, Nadal is just a cheat code on clay. He is playing INCREDIBLE SHOTS. Our newsroom just collectively went “Oh my god!” as he hits a stunning half-volley forehand winner to take a double break in the set. You just have to bow to the King.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 3-1 Roger Federer

Longest rally, 27 shots: Federer hit about three shots that would have winners against any other player but not Nadal. Not today. Not on clay. Stunning defence-turned-attack from Nadal and he takes the point. Federer then hits a superb backhand lob from the baseline for one of his best shots of the match, fair play to him. A small window again at 30-30 but Nadal hits a ridiculous backhand winner and then an ace to close the game out. Just wow.

Ashish Magotra: Federer gets broken again. The shoulders are drooping a little. Nadal looking invincible – as he always does. Just thinking about the challenge must be so daunting...

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 2-1 Roger Federer: Break for Nadal

As if Federer was not struggling enough to match up with Nadal right now, the net chord completely deceives the Swiss as he was approaching the net. And that when he was facing break point. Nadal apologises but he has the break of serve in the third set and looks set to cruise into the finals now. The commentators reckon Federer’s body language has changed drastically, looks negative at the moment.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 1-1 Roger Federer: Yet another simple service hold for Nadal. Pressure back on Federer.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 0-1 Roger Federer: Numbers from the second set... Nadal simply took him game to another level.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 0-1 Roger Federer: Federer was in danger of being broken in the first game of the third set but saves a break point and manages to hold on, just about. Nadal’s forehand is flying at the moment, says the commentator and he’s right, of course. Federer looks a little bit deflated, maybe the service hold will give him some hope.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 Roger Federer: Rafa up 2 sets to love!

Nadal has one foot in the final as he holds to love in the 10th game of second set to take a two-set lead. Federer did not even get a look in, in that game to break back. Not even a sniff. Stupendous from Nadal. One fears the game is heading for a fairly quick finish now.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 5-4 Roger Federer: BREAK OF SERVE!

From 40-0 ahead on serve, Federer drops his level and Nadal fights back typically. Game goes to deuce and Federer under real pressure to hold his serve. The Swiss does superbly well to stay in the rally at deuce but Nadal wrongfoots Federer to have break point. And then seals the deal after a superb exchange at the net. Once again, not much Federer did wrong in that point but Rafa breaks and will serve for the set. He has just gone up a level or two in the last few minutes.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 4-4 Roger Federer: Just stunning defence from Nadal to somehow return a deep approach shot from Federer and then hits a pass winner : all this at 30-30 when it looked like Federer would have break point. Nadal’s reaction there said it all: proper pumped up. The Swiss then plays a stunning backhand pass himself to take it to deuce. Nadal plays a wondrous rally for advantage and closes the game out. Federer could not have done much more in that game and Nadal somehow still holds serve. Just incredible.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 4-3 Roger Federer: His service numbers don’t yet reflect how comfortable Federer’s games have been on his serve. Nadal is at another level at the moment but Federer not making the Spaniard’s life easy.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 3-3 Roger Federer: Nadal’s first serve percentage is a ridiculous 87% now! That’s just crazy accuracy and his supposed weakness is proving to be quite the strength. Another easy hold.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 2-3 Roger Federer: And now it’s the turn of the Swiss to hold the serve without too much tension. Both of them serving close to their best at the moment. High quality tennis and perhaps the conditions have better.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 2-2 Roger Federer: A pumped-up Nadal has an easy service hold.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 1-2 Roger Federer: Oh dear, Federer mishits an overhead smash when he could have saved the break point and Nadal punishes him with a searing down-the-line forehand winner to bring the 2nd set back on serve. Relentless again from Rafa!

5.47 pm: Federer is facing break points on his serve again.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 0-2 Roger Federer: WHAT HAVE WE HERE! Some superb offence and defence from Federer and he goes a break up to start the second set! He leads Nadal 2-0, but can he consolidate in this set? Federer certainly enjoyed that moment.

Ashish Magotra: Incredible defence from Federer to make it 0-30 and the crowd starts chanting his name. The crowd is in Federer’s corner.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 0-1 Roger Federer: The Swiss holds serve to start the second set despite Nadal playing one of the shots of the tournament (see below). The sun is out at the moment, maybe the wind will die down to make the conditions slightly less challenging.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 Roger Federer: A stunning shot to seal the deal for the first set.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 Roger Federer: Some numbers from the 51-minute first set.

Ashish Magotra: Stunning crosscourt backhand from Nadal helps him clinch the first set 6-3. Good stuff from Federer though – he has been competitive and stayed in points for a lot longer than most expected.

Rafa Nadal 6-3 Roger Federer: FIRST SET, KING OF CLAY!

Federer had a window of opportunity at 15-30 but Nadal sets up a set point with a booming serve. A backhand error from the Spaniard takes it to deuce and the crowd erupt on support of Federer. But another backhand error from the Swiss gives Nadal the second set point. He seals the deal with a stupendous crosscourt backhand from the right baseline. WHAT A SHOT.

Rafa Nadal 5-3 Roger Federer: This is how the conditions are at the moment! The sudden gusts are affecting both players.

Rafa Nadal 5-3 Roger Federer: Well, well. Federer holds to love and Nadal will now serve for the first set after 45 minutes of entertaining tennis.

Rafa Nadal 5-2 Roger Federer: With a terrific cross-court winner, Nadal consolidates the break.
Federer will serve to stay in the set.

Rafa Nadal 4-2 Roger Federer:

Rafa Nadal 4-2 Roger Federer: At the sixth time of asking Nadal breaks Federer’s serve again! Some wonderful tennis in that game, with Federer getting out of jail with his serve time and again but the pressure from Nadal is just relentless.

5.12 pm: Almost 10 mins into this game. Six deuces! And now Nadal has yet another break point.

5.08 pm: A lengthy service for Federer and he has saved two break points. Great tennis at the moment.

Meanwhile: Here’s that *interesting* volley from Federer in the earlier game.

Rafa Nadal 3-2 Roger Federer: Ladies and gentlemen, we have a break of serve and it’s not by Nadal! Federer fights back to take the fifth game and we are back on serve. The run-around-forehand has been Federer’s go-to shot in the match so far and it wrong foots Nadal. There was a acrobatic volley earlier in the game as well as Federer continues to come in to net often.

Rafa Nadal 3-1 Roger Federer: Nadal hits the shot of the match so far: a rasping forehand winner but Federer manages to hold his serve and gets on board in the first set. The Swiss using his forehand to good effect. The backhand is still rusty. Federer seals the game with an ace, how about that,.

Rafa Nadal 3-0 Roger Federer: And now Nadal holds serve at love. The King of Clay laying down the marker.

Rafa Nadal 2-0 Roger Federer: Federer’s serve is broken by Nadal for the first time since the 5th set of the Australian Open final in 2017! The Swiss did well too save two break-points at 15-40, uses netplay to good effect. But a backhand error hands Nadal the game.

Rafa Nadal 1-0 Roger Federer: The Swiss started off well, forced a break point, made Nadal work hard but the Spaniard eventually pulls a lengthy first game. Nadal targetting the Federer backhand, as you would expect.

4.42 pm: Six minutes into the match we are still in the first service game. Federer has squandered one break point (surprise, surprise!).

4.37 pm: Read our stats preview for Federer-Nadal as you settle down for what’s ahead.

4.35 pm: Right, here we go. Nadal to serve. Fedal XXXIX is underway.

4.34 pm: The women’s singles final will be the first for both the protagonists.

4.32 pm: Alright folks, it’s main event time! It’s time for Fedal, Chapter 39!

The players are out on court, the toss is done, the warm-up is underway. And we are moments away from the start.

4.29 pm: ASH BARTY INTO THE FINAL!

What a crazy, crazy game of tennis. WTA at its unpredictable best. Congratulations Barty! Take a bow, Animisova!

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x8) beats Amanda Anisimova (USA): 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3

4.26 pm: More madness at Suzanne-Lenglen!

Barty had three match points on Animisova’s serve and the teenager digs in, with the crowd backing her, to save all three match points! Wow.

4.24 pm: Vondrousova takes the match in straight sets. The 19-year-old is in her first Grand Slam final.

4.23 pm: Marketa Vondrousova is your first finalist at French Open 2019!

4.20 pm: Konta is down two mini-breaks in the tiebreaker despite playing some powerful groundstrokes. And in Suzanne Lenglen, Barty is up 5-2!! The conditions have gotten very tough to play good tennis (strong breeze) and errors creeping in for all players at the moment.

4.19 pm: Konta, serving to stay in the match, holds & forces a Tiebreak in the second set.

4.17 pm: Barty has the break of serve after holding hers. She is up 4-2 now and two games away from a place in the final.

4.12 pm: Konta was serving for the second set... and she gets broken by Vondrousova! 5-5 in the second set. Back on serve.

4.10 pm: What did we tell you, eh? Barty breaks right back. The Australian had three break points at 0-40 but squandered all three. And then eventually did break the serve with a stunning counter-attacking forehand from the baseline.

There is some drama with the umpire getting involved: looks like there is rain in the air but we are carrying on for now.

4.06 pm: Animisova breaks Barty’s serve in the decider! And something tells us this won’t be the last break of serve we will see. The youngster, though, inches ahead in the third set.

4.04 pm: Konta goes from 40-0 up to deuce but manages to hold for a 5-3 lead in the second set. Vondrousova serving to stay in the set and she holds her serve too.

4.02 pm: Animisova holds serve. We think this is the first time the two players have held serve in back-to-back games in the entire match! It’s 1-1 in the decider.

Zenia D’Cunha: Barty was 5-0 up in the first set, she lost it. Anisimova was 3-0 up in the second set, she lost it. This French Open semi-final is insane!

3.56 pm: Meanwhile, Konta is up 4-2 in the 2nd set.

3.54 pm: Barty’s serve has really picked up now and she is dictating the pace. Are there more twists in this match? We have gone to deuce in the first game already in the decider with Barty serving.

3.50 pm: Wow. Barty has won the second 6-3 by winning six games in a row!

She was trailing 0-3 in the second. She had not won a single point in the opening three games. And from there Barty goes on a crazy run. We are running out of adjectives to describe this semifinal.

3.44 pm: And now the seeded players are fighting back.

Konta has a break in the 2nd set. She leads 2-1 in the second set.

And the other semifinal gets crazier as Barty wins four games in a row (after Animisova won three in a row!!!) to take a 4-3 lead and goes a break up.

3.40 pm: From 0-3 down without winning a point, Barty has clawed her way back to 3-3 in the second set with her trademark shot placement. She is taking the attack to her younger opponent now.

3.38 pm: Back on serve in Suzanne-Lenglen! Barty finds her range and breaks back.

Meanwhile, how about this for a winner from Animisova. A slice-pass winner!

3.37 pm: Here’s the first set breakdown in the Konta-Vondrousova match.

3.36 pm: This is how the Vondrousova sealed the first set. What an outrageous way to take the lead in this match. Helps to be a fearless teenager, we suppose.

3.34 pm: Vondrousova won four straight games to close out the first set. The two seeded players in the semi-finals have crumbled in the two semifinals.

3.32 pm: Marketa Vondrousova is making this the day of the teenagers at the French Open! She was a break down and then she bounces back to take the first set 7-5!

3.30 pm: Barty has not come to party in the second set at all. Animisova broke Barty’s serve to love and then holds serve at love to!!

3.29 pm: Meanwhile, in the other semifinal Vondrousova broke Konta’s serve when she was one game away from the set and now is up 6-5. It’s Konta’s turn to serve to stay in the match.

3.28 pm: And Animisova now has a 2-0 lead in the second set! No stopping her at the moment.

3.23 pm: Statistics from a crazy first set. Animisova had more errors but that was from that nervy start when she went 0-5 down.

3.22 pm: Anisimova takes an incredible, see-saw first set! From 0-5 down to 7-6(4). Just brilliant from the 17-year-old American. She throws her arms up in the air in celebration, and then walks calmly to her chair. Barty has to up her game to stay in the match now.

3.21 pm: Barty had a mini-break in the tiebreaker but Anisimova negates that and now has a mini-break herself! A costly drop shot by Barty that does not reach the other side of the net.

3.20 pm: Vondrousova manages to hold serve, and now Konta will serve for the first set at 5-4.

3.16 pm: Tie-break in that crazy Barty-Animisova semifinal! Wow. The Australian, with some aggressive stroke-play, has broken back to end a streak of losing six straight games. This dramatic set deserves a tiebreak to be fair.

3.11 pm: In the other semifinal Konta has a break of serve in a very tight opening set. In stark contrast to the other semifinal, this has been a proper slugfest with both Konta and Vondrousova going toe to toe with each other. Konta is now serving at 4-3.

3.10 pm: It’s a cracker of a semifinal between Ash Barty and teenager Anisimova. Barty had raced to a 5-0 lead and then the 17-year-old stormed back to make it 5-5. And now she has won 6 games in a row with yet another break of serve! INCREDIBLE. The American will serve for the first set. What a bizarre 30 minutes, this has been.

After rain washed out entire day’s play on Wednesday, we have both women’s semi-finals today.
However, French Open has courted controversy by scheduling both matches on other courts while the men’s matches will be on the centre court – Court Philippe Chatrier .

The semi-final between Ashleigh Barty and Amanda Anisimova will be played on Court Suzanne Lenglen while Johanna Konta’s match with Marketa Vondrousova has been shifted to the smaller 5,000-seater Court Simonne-Mathieu.

Hello and welcome to the live blog of the French Open semi-final day. An action-packed day waits!