London, Europe Brief News –Nadal can be seen going strong even after the hectic Semi-Final gameplay! On Past Friday, Alexander Zverev retired with an ankle injury in the second set of their semi-final match. However, Rafael Nadal and the short Philippe Chatrier still battled for almost three hours beneath the closed roof. Nadal has spent 11 hours and 46 minutes on the court in his previous three matches, bringing his total time on the court to 11 hours and 46 minutes. Let’s review what went down!
Nadal Confirms About His Physical Condition After The SF
On Friday, Nadal, who turned 36, stated that he was “good physically in his post-match news conference.” “Physical performance isn’t normally a concern for me.”
A record-tying 14th Roland Garros crown and a 22nd Grand Slam singles crown are both on the line for him if he follows through on his words. In addition, Nadal hopes to become the champion with the most victories in the history of the clay majors. If he wins Paris, he will be able to win both the Australian Open and Roland Garros in the same year for the first time.
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“Of course, today’s weather was oppressively hot and muggy. In my own experience, I’ve found that when these situations arise, I’m more physically affected. While my mood fluctuate greatly during the match, I was able to play at a high level with several amazing points. When you’re playing in humid circumstances and the ball is moving slowly, you’re going to feel the effects of that more than you would in dry conditions.”
As he did at the Australian Open, Nadal opted not to retain a second ball in his pocket when serving to avoid the balls from gathering up moisture from his shorts and becoming even heavier.
Zverev’s Performance Praised
As a result of Zverev’s injury, the Spaniard was sympathetic to the German’s plight, and he praised his performance, calling Zverev’s backhand the greatest on tour.
“Honestly, he had a great start to the game. Recovering from an early break and coming from 2/6 down in the first tie-break, Nadal commented, “That first set was a miracle.” “However, I was always there battling and looking for answers.”
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Nadal Expresses Disapproval
During the match, Nadal expressed his displeasure with Zverev’s performance and the playing conditions at Roland Garros, saying that he “wasn’t able to produce the damage” he desired under some of the slowest conditions he’s encountered there.
He wondered aloud why his ball wasn’t bouncing as it usually does. “As a result, I was unable to keep him from signing up.” I was able to survive because he was always able to hit a clean ball. Survival is a major theme in this video game.
The second semi-final of the day saw eighth seed Casper Ruud taking on 20th seed Marin Cilic under Chatrier’s roof. Regardless of the opponent, Nadal believes that will be the case on Sunday. As Carlos Moya was scouting Nadal’s final opponents, he was caught relaxing in the sun.
To maintain his lead in the ATP Race to Turin, Nadal has moved up one spot in the Pepperstone ATP Live rankings this week to No. 4.
The Takeaway!
Rafael Nadal faces Casper Ruud in Sunday’s French Open final. Nadal went to the final when No. 3 Alexander Zverev injured his ankle and withdrew.
The match was 3 hours 15 minutes old and at 5-6 in the second set when the German dropped, screamed, and grabbed his right leg. Nadal led 7-6(8), 6-6. Nadal is seeking his 22nd major victory on Sunday.
