Rafael Nadal was glad to fight through an intense five-set challenge on Sunday against Felix Auger-Aliassime at Roland Garros, yet the Spaniard realizes it will just get harder.
Next up for the 13-time champion will be World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who has given the lefty two of his three misfortunes at the dirt court major.
“I didn’t play these sort of counterparts for the beyond 90 days, so [it is] going to be quite difficult for me. Obviously he previously won I think [his] past nine matches straight, winning in Rome and presently winning here in straight sets each match. Most likely he will be sure,” Nadal said. “I know how my circumstance is and I acknowledge it well. I will battle for it.”
It is not difficult to fail to remember that Nadal missed a month-and-a-half after the BNP Paribas Open because of a pressure break in one of his ribs. Then after a quarter-last appearance at the Mutua Madrid Open, the Spaniard lost in the third round at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia while noticeably battling because of his drawn out foot injury.
Therefore, Nadal said he “can’t say anything negative a lot”.
“I’m in [the] quarter-finals of Roland Garros. Two weeks and a half prior, regardless of whether I had great expectations, positive expectations after Rome, I [didn’t even] know whether I would have the option to be here,” Nadal said. “So partaking in the way that I am hanging around for another year. Furthermore, tell the truth, each match that I play here, I couldn’t say whether [it is] going to be my last match here in Roland Garros in my tennis vocation. That is what is happening now.”
