Rafael Nadal does not know what to do on Tuesday against his rival Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros. The thirteen-time winner in Paris does not expect much from him due to his physical condition.
Nadal, 35, was out for a month with a rib injury after losing his final at Indian Wells in March and returning to Madrid in May. A week later, at the Rome Masters, Nadal lost to Denis Shapovalov, partly due to a foot injury, and it was doubtful he could compete in Paris.
“I know and accept my situation,” said Nadal, 35, on Sunday after a tough win over Felix Auger-Aliassime. “You won’t hear me complain, because I’m in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros. 2.5 weeks ago I didn’t even know if I could be here. I am very grateful to be here again.”
Until Sunday, Nadal participated in his favorite tournament without any problems. World fifth place with Jordan Thompson, Corentin Moutet and Botic van de Zandschulp finished without losing a set but went through the pinhole against Auger-Aliassime.
The King of Pebbles survived his fourth defeat at Roland Garros in five sets. Djokovic (two wins) and Robin Söderling are still the only players to beat Nadal at the Grand Slam tournament in Paris. In 2016, he left the tournament after an injury after the second round.
Rafael Nadal was unharmed against Félix Auger-Alliasime.
Rafael Nadal was unharmed against Félix Auger-Alliasime.
Photographer: Getty Images
“Novak will have confidence”
Unlike Nadal, Djokovic is still not losing on French clay. After a tumultuous start to the season, the world number one appears to be back to his usual level, aiming for his 21st Grand Slam title in Paris to rival record holder Nadal.
The last meeting between the two tennis legends dates back to last year, when Djokovic was very strong in the semi-final of Roland Garros. The previous two encounters were also on dirt and favored Nadal.
“I haven’t been able to test against Novak for a while. I haven’t played those big games for the past three months anyway, so it’s going to be a big challenge for me. He has won his last nine games and is currently absent,” said Nadal, “a sure loss, so he will be confident.”
It is not yet known when the feud between Nadal and Djokovic will start. The match is normally played in the evening at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Source: NU
Jason Jack is an experienced technology journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in computer science and engineering, he has a deep understanding of the latest technology trends and developments. He writes about a wide range of technology topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, and cybersecurity.
