Nadal: “I am proud to be physically alive”

Whatever the circumstance, be it hot or cold, play day or night, and come better or worse, Rafael Nadal is still imperishable.

At 35 years old, more than back and with the scaphoid in his left foot split in half, the Mallorcan has a unique survival kit and almost always finds the solution, no matter how ugly the game may have been or how much he from the other side he insists and insists, he is challenged again and again, the case of Adrian Mannarino.

The Frenchman, a veteran (33 years old) with much more potential than his ranking reflects (69th), led him to a limit situation for an hour and a half, but he ran into the harsh reality: to knock Nadal down (7-6( 14), 6-2 and 6-2, in 2h 40m) several bombers are needed.

To seal his pass to the quarterfinals and meet the Canadian Denis Shapovalov, Alexander Zverev's limit (6-3, 7-6(5) and 6-3), the Spaniard was subjected to an unexpected and unique situation.

He had never ruled such a long

, 30 points (16-14) that lasted 28 minutes and 40 seconds.

In any case, it marked territory and exhibited sharpness.

The higher the water is and the more difficult the situation, the better the reaction of the Spaniard, who raffled the four options that his rival earned to close the set and finished him off on the seventh attempt, leaving several of those characteristic flares, sprinting from one side to the other and signing a cross wrist that put Rod Laver (and Rod Laver himself, present) on his feet.

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Nadal approaches Nadal

Nadal has endless lives, a repertoire to escape almost all of them. Against the Frenchman he resolved the longest tiebreaker of his career, not too far from the three longest that have been recorded so far: the 36 points that Lorenzo Sonego and Taylor Fritz totaled at Roland Garros in 2020, the same figure as Jarkko Nieminen and John Isner in the

longest

that has been played to date at Wimbledon, in 2014, and that Johanna Konta and Denisa Satralova in Paris seven courses ago. In any case, all of them behind the Frenchman Jo-Wilfred Tstonga and the American Andy Roddick at the 2007 Australian Open: 38 points, 20-18.

"I've put a little more than I'm used to lately, at the level of impacts and saving balls", valued the man from Manacor, a guarantee on the big stages and with 45 appearances in the quarterfinals of the

behind their backs.

“What I am most proud of is to be able to be here, to have been able to play seven games since I arrived in Australia [three in the Melbourne prep and four in the Open] and to be alive physically, to feel more or less well.

It was hard to imagine a few weeks ago, so I'm happy about it.

This has been an injection of morale”, he added in statements to the Eurosport channel, already converted into the only Spanish survivor in the tournament since the two remaining options, those of Paula Badosa and Pablo Carreño, vanished in the opening and closing of the day, respectively.

The price fluctuates

There are already 73 wins in Australia –in terms of victories, its second most productive ground after Roland Garros (105)–, 295 in the Grand Slams, 498 on hard courts and 14 consecutive appearances among the top eight of a major, record record in his career. He has not been missing in that station since he gave in to the cannon shots of the Luxembourger Müller at Wimbledon 2017.

On Tuesday (schedule to be confirmed) Shapovalov's talent will be exposed, protagonist of the big hit of the day.

The Canadian, 22 years old and as delicious as he is intermittent, a creative left-footed player with an above-average ball impact, will be a high-level test based on the level he offered in his last match.

He dispatched number three, the favorite in the pools along with Russian Daniil Medvedev.

Given the progression of the Balearic Islands, the price fluctuates.

“Beating Zverev in three sets is very difficult, and he has done it.

He has enormous tennis potential and I am aware that I will have to play at my best level, but hey, here I am”, the 2009 champion settled happily. Once again in front.

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Nadal: finally, happiness

“Am I the favorite now or can I win on Sunday?

I don't know, I don't even think about it.

I go day by day,” he lowered.

“I said that a priori, before the tournament started, I wasn't a candidate and I added that things change very quickly in sport.

What looks like one thing today may look like another the next day.

Ten days have passed and I am obviously in a better position;

That said, I am not one to talk about whether I consider myself or not, about whether I am or not.

The track commands.

I only hope to be prepared to compete”, settled.

Garbiñe Muguruza (2nd round) and Badosa, also Carlos Alcaraz (3rd) and the combative Carreño, were dismounted, their continuity keeps Spanish tennis in the Melbourne showcase.

Be that as it may, against all odds and something else, Nadal is always there.

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