At the AccorArena,
Jostled by his compatriot Pablo Carreno-Busta, Rafael Nadal, finally had the last word (4-6, 7-5, 6-1), Friday night in the quarter-finals.
The 15th world suffered a seventh setback in as many confrontations against a world number two, however still on alternating current.
As in the first round against Feliciano Lopez, the man with 20 Grand Slam titles let slip a set, doubted a little, before taking place in the last act.
Finally more relaxed.
“He started the game really well, and when you feel like you're not in pain to win your face-offs, you can play a lot more liberated, more relaxed on return plays and try things, be more aggressive.
That has been the problem for me for quite a while on this game.
I was not able to return to the first set.
He was winning his service games too comfortably, I couldn't get him to trouble with his service games.
He really did a lot of good things playing very aggressive.
Then I started to return better in the second set and I put in the necessary effort. "
"Against Nadal, you always have to play very smart because he's one of the best defenders on the circuit."
Alexander Zverev
It must be said that on the hard and indoors at Bercy, the king of Roland-Garros evolves on a hostile ground where he has never imposed himself.
The finalist of the 2007 edition qualified for his fifth semi-final in the East of the capital, for his 8th participation.
To see him celebrate by a goat jump of which he has the secret, the winning of the second round, the warrior proved - but who suspected it - that he was always hungry.
Alexander Zverev knows what to expect.
The Spaniard leads 5-1 in his duels against the German, but he lost in their only indoor confrontation, in 2019 (6-2, 6-4), in the group stage of the London Masters : "Against him, you always have to play very intelligently because he is one of the best defenders on the circuit."
"I really have to go back better if I want to have a chance to go further."
Rafael Nadal
The number 1 seed is only two steps away from a first coronation at Bercy.
To consider unlocking the counter, the Spaniard believes that he will have to improve in particular in return: "Now, what matters to me for the future is really to better return to the duration of a match, confirms he.
My serve is working well and over the rest of the game I think I'm playing better and better.
But I really have to return better if I want to have a chance to go further. "
To build on a Parisian week already rich with a new legendary stat.
After Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl and Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal had Wednesday won his 1000th success on the circuit by dominating his compatriot Feliciano Lopez.
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The results of the Rolex Paris Masters