It was therefore 1:17 a.m. when the Chatrier public rose like one man in a deglingo ovation to cheer, the idol, the legend, the boss. Call it what you will, but Rafael Nadal made history again on Wednesday at Roland-Garros. After 4h12 of play and an ultra-intense match in 4 sets (6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6), the Spaniard once again thwarted the predictions and definitively won the hearts of Paris.
“The audience was amazing. I think they know I won’t be around for very long. Playing here, in a very special place for me and feeling the support of the whole crowd, is something very difficult to describe. Thank you all”, rejoiced the champion who has probably never been encouraged to this point at Roland-Garros.
Is it this atmosphere that helped him push his limits? While he was expected at least in a walker after his marathon in 5 sets in the previous round against Auger-Aliassime, while the night session was supposed to disadvantage him, while Novak Djokovic seemed impregnable, all predictions collapsed during this 59th clash between the two legends.
Three weeks ago, Nadal could barely walk
A shock contested for the first time at night and which ended in the middle of the night. “I find that these night-sessions start too late but it is the TVs that decide. What do you want, it’s the world in which we live” laconically dropped Djokovic, inevitably very disappointed, at the end of the meeting.
If he is not a big fan of night sessions either, Nadal has not shown it. Impregnable in the first set, Rafa suffered a little under Djoko’s battering in the second set before rising from the ashes in the third set and ending up saving two set points at 5-4 for Djokovic in the fourth. sleeve. Crazy, mad even unreal. Recall that three weeks ago in Roma, the 36-year-old could barely walk due to a long-standing injured left foot. But things are going a little better in Paris.
His doctor is with him at Roland-Garros
“In Rome, I told you that my doctor would be with me at Roland-Garros, that means we can do things. I’m gathering everything I have to try to play this tournament with the best possible conditions. I don’t know what will happen next, but here I think it will be fine. But if we can’t find a solution, it will be really hard for me afterwards. I will continue to fight to find solutions but for the moment, we have not found any yet”, admitted the player who clearly does not exclude an end to his career in the coming months.
Before getting there, Nadal will play Friday against Zverev his 15th semi-final in Paris. He is more than ever the favorite for a 14th trophy at Roland-Garros and a 22nd Grand Slam title. Even though she limps a lot lately, the legend is still going strong. And it’s high time to take advantage of it before it’s too late.