He arrived for the mandatory exercise in front of the media at 1:43 a.m., after 4 hours of discussions with the best player in the world. Winner of Novak Djokovic in four sets (6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)), Rafael Nadal displays a broad smile that barely masks exhaustion. It was said that he didn’t like night games, that he was handicapped by foot pain and that he had no chance against the Serb. It was true before the match but Nadal is not made of the same wood as us. He knocked down a mountain, one more and can dream against all odds of a 14th crown at Roland-Garros. He will face Zverev in the semi-finals. This guy is amazing.
How much did the crowd tonight help you against Djokovic?
RAFAEL NADAL. The public has been incredible with me since the start of the tournament. People know I’m not going to be here for very long so playing here in the most important place of my career is something hard to describe. I really want to thank all the public in Paris, sincerely.
Did you think you could play two games over four hours each in 48 hours?
I told you, I will talk about all this, about my health problems once my tournament is over. In the meantime, I am gathering everything I can do to play this tournament in the best conditions without knowing what will happen after.
Isn’t it a problem to finish a match after one o’clock in the morning?
Yes. But I’m not going to complain since before my semi-final, I have 2 days off. If I had only had one as it sometimes happens, it would have been a real problem. Now I understand the business. There are TVs that pay a lot of money. The tournament wins money, the players win money and a balance has to be found. But it is a fact that starting at 9 p.m. a match that can last into 5 sets is not ideal.
How are you going to refocus for the semi-final?
I have some experience in the field. I had a lot of emotion last night but it was only a quarter-final and I haven’t won anything yet. I now give myself the opportunity to return to the earth to play in a semi-final. It means a lot to me. If I lose in half, it’s not because I won’t be concentrated. Mentally, I’m still stable. Now I’m enjoying my victory but tomorrow I’ll think and prepare for the semi-final.
What did you think about match point?
With Novak, we have a liability. We have lived through many important moments. Playing against Novak is always special and I felt a lot of emotions at that moment. Especially since for 3 and a half months, nothing has been easy for me. I’m not going to tell you everything going forward but it’s been a weird three months.
Is this your last Roland-Garros?
I’m very open on the subject, I’m old enough not to hide things. I really don’t know what will happen after this tournament. I have what I have on my feet and if we don’t find a solution, it will be very hard for me. I’m not thinking about the future right now and I’m enjoying the moment.
Was this match against Djokovic the culmination of your rivalry?
It was one more episode. We played the most important matches but tonight was only a quarter-final, not a final. Between Novak, Roger and me, we have had an incredible history together for so long. The longevity makes it fantastic. It doesn’t matter who has the best results between us: we write the history of this sport, it doesn’t matter what else. Who will have the most grand slams at the end doesn’t really matter to me.