"Very tough and very sad, to see him crying there is a very tough moment" - Rafael Nadal after injury ends Alexander Zverev's French Open campaign

Rafael Nadal moved to within one win of a record-extending 14th French Open title after Alexander Zverev was forced to retire from their semifinal clash on Friday. The match was tantalisingly poised at 7-6(8), 6-6 when the German rolled his ankle.

In an on-court interview after the win, the Spaniard wished Zverev well and revealed that he checked on the 25-year-old, who was in tears, before the two returned to court.

"I have been there in the small room with Sascha before we came back on court and to see him crying there is a very tough moment. All the best to him and his team," Nadal said.

On his 36th birthday, Nadal came through a gruelling first-set tie-break, with both players squandering multiple set points.

The first set, which lasted an hour and a half, set the tone for the match. Both players were on even. terms in the second set too, before Zverev rolled his ankle. Rafael Nadal acknowledged that Zverev, who beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, was playing an "unbelievable tournament" in Paris.

"Very tough and very sad for him. Honestly, he was playing an unbelievable tournament. He is a very good colleague on the tour," said Nadal.

"I know how much he is fighting to win a Grand Slam, I am sure he will win more than one" - Rafael Nadal on Alexander Zverev

Zverev carried off on a wheelchair after rolling his ankle

It was a tragic end to the French Open for the 25-year-old Zverev, who is still chasing his maiden Grand Slam title.

He ran Rafael Nadal close in the semifinals and the Spaniard was full of praise in the post-match interview.

"I know how much he is fighting to win a Grand Slam, but at the moment he is very unlucky. The only thing that I am sure is that he is going to win not one [Grand Slam] but much more than one, so I wish him all the very best," Rafael Nadal said, praising Zverev.

The closest that Zverev has got to winning a Grand Slam was at the 2020 US Open, where he made it to the final before losing to Dominic Thiem in a fifth-set tie-break.

Rafael Nadal, chasing his 22nd Grand Slam title, will meet either Casper Ruud or Marin Cilic in the title clash on Sunday.