Fourteen: the number is mind-blowing but Rafael Nadal will participate in his 14th final at Roland-Garros on June 5.
He hasn't lost any yet.
He will therefore set out to conquer a 14th Parisian triumph and a 22nd Grand Slam victory against the Croatian Marin Cilic or the Norwegian Casper Ruud who face each other in the other semi-final.
However, more than an hour after qualifying, it was with a heavy heart that the Spaniard came to talk about his feelings.
His first thoughts were for his unfortunate opponent.
Alexander Zverev lost on retirement.
While after three hours of play, the two players had still not finished the second set (7-6, 6-6), the world number 3 injured his ankle.
He left the court in tears on a wheelchair before returning to greet the public leaning on crutches.
Rafael Nadal wanted to win but not this way.
đź‘Ź#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/92f8AhegIQ
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2022
How do you feel after qualifying?
RAFAEL NADAL.
It's not easy to talk after what happened.
The only thing I want to say is that I hope Alexander isn't too bad.
I sincerely hope he just twisted his ankle and didn't break anything.
I know he has to pass exams and I hope everything goes well for him.
How did you experience this moment?
The match was hotly contested from the start.
Sacha started incredibly well.
I know he wanted to win his first Grand Slam.
We know each other well, we are colleagues, we often train together.
Of course, it was my dream to qualify for the final but not like this.
I didn't want to do it seeing a colleague get hurt and be so sorry.
Have you spoken to him?
I went with him when they checked his ankle ultrasound I thought.
I was there just to see but I don't have the right to speak for him about what he said to me and felt.
I don't want to speak on his behalf: if he wants to do it, he will.
Is his injury due to slippery and wet ground?
No.
It's an accident, it wasn't because of the court.
It was the fault of bad luck, it happens unfortunately.
Nothing more.
You didn't seem to enter the match properly.
Why ?
The playing conditions were not good for me.
It was the slowest conditions I have seen in a long time at Roland-Garros.
There was a lot of humidity, the balls were very heavy and it was hard to get spin.
It was all the harder because Sacha played well.
I failed to set up the game I wanted to dominate it.
It's a miracle for me to win the first set (7-6).
But I was there, I was fighting to find solutions.
Sacha is an outstanding player and it was difficult to push him back with these very heavy conditions.
He felt that my bullets didn't have the effect I usually put in them.
I was in survival mode.
"It's a very tough moment"#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/KpCQJqigEI
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2022
What do you still have to prove to yourself by playing a new final here?
The problem is not proving anything to me.
I'm here doing what I love, which is playing tennis.
If you like to play golf, you will do it while you can, right?
Me, it's tennis.
As long as I can play, I continue.
I like the fight and I believe that, in this field, I am not too bad.
So, I continue as long as I can without trying to prove myself.
Physically, how are you?
Physically, I'm fine.
My problem is not physical performance.
Today was difficult, wet conditions and, in these conditions, it is necessarily harder for me.
I suffered but Sacha too: there were ups and downs for both of them during this match.
When the balls are slow and the conditions heavy, we suffer more.
It's like that.
And mentally?
I have already spoken a lot about it.
I haven't changed my mindset.
I wasn't very positive about my footing after Rome three weeks ago but I knew I could play in Paris.
It's the case.
So I did everything I could to give myself the opportunity to get where I am, in front of you.
Qualifying for the final means a lot to me.
I take full advantage of it.
