The 2022 French Open champion might’ve ultimately been decided in the quarterfinals. Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic in a four-set marathon Tuesday and became the odds-on favorite at Roland Garros.

Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 ranked tennis player, was favored to defeat Nadal in the semifinal match. Nadal showed why he’s the King of Clay, outlasting his rival 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in a battle that took more than four hours.

"To win against Novak, there is only one way -- to play at your best from the first point to the last,'' Nadal said. "Tonight has been one of those magic nights for me.''

Following the victory, Nadal has -220 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to win the 2022 French Open. Those odds suggest that Nadal is much more likely than not to win his 14th career championship at Roland Garros.

Alexander Zverev is second in the field with +440 French Open odds. Casper Ruud is a distant third with +1100 odds to win the Grand Slam championship.

Zverev is No. 3 in the ATP rankings, putting him two spots ahead of Nadal. With -335 odds, Nadal is widely expected to eliminate Zverev in their semifinal match Friday.

As he approaches his 36th birthday, Nadal remains dominant on clay. Nadal has an incredible 108-3 record in matches at the French Open, winning 13 championships since 2005.

Another French Open title would give Nadal 22 Grand Slam titles. Nadal’s 21 Grand Slams are the most all-time, putting him one victory ahead of both Djokovic and Roger Federer for the record.

Rafael Nadal celebrates his epic victory over Novak Djokovic
Rafael Nadal celebrates his epic victory over Novak Djokovic AFP / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT
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