Rafael Nadal is not a legend for nothing. Boiled after two hours in the middle of a dodger against Shapovalov, a 23-year-old youngster, the Spaniard managed to grit his teeth, save a few important break points at the start of the fifth set to snatch a seventh semi-final at the Australian Open (6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3).
One for the ages ✨
🇪🇸 @Rafael Nadal defeats Denis Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3 to reach his seventh #AusOpen semi-final.#AO2022 pic.twitter.com/2vp5Enfeep
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2022
No longer as physically sovereign
At 35, “Rafa” no longer has his unsinkable physical condition of yesteryear, especially since he has returned from six months without playing due to yet another physical glitch, but no one apart from Djokovic feels better the moments of a game than him. A stomach problem in the 3rd and 4th sets, Shapovalov’s aggressiveness, the extreme heat conditions, everything was there to see him give in like last year against Tsitsipas.
“I was destroyed after the fourth set, recognized the 6th player in the world at the microphone of Jim Courier on the Rod Laver Arena. It was a very difficult day, very hot. I had my chances to close the deal earlier, but I felt more and more tired. I started having a stomach ache, I took lozenges, and it got better. I’m not 21 anymore, it’s good to have two days off before the next game. To be able to play here once again in the semi-finals, I feel privileged, I can’t wait to be there”.
It will be his seventh Melbourne semi-final, against Monfils or Berrettini on Friday. A small statistic to encourage the Frenchman before his quarter? The only half lost by Nadal at the Australian Open dates back to 2008, against a certain Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.