Four years ago, the French Open felt like an ending. For Roger Federer, then 34, a straight-sets loss to Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinal was further evidence that his career was nearing its inevitable conclusion. For Rafael Nadal, a quarterfinal defeat to Novak Djokovic evoked a crumbling dynasty, a nine-time champion relinquishing his crown after a historically dominant stretch. It was Nadal’s second-ever loss ever at Roland Garros.
Now it’s 2019, and Federer and Nadal are set to play in the Roland Garros semifinals. It’s the latest chapter of a delightfully preposterous epilogue, an encore that has resuscitated a rivalry not long ago on life support.