Nadal battles past Auger-Aliassime in 5 sets to set up Djokovic clash at Roland Garros
ATP
Rafael Nadal had to dig really deep to reach the quarter-finals of the 2022 Roland Garros, as Felix Auger-Aliassime played a great match.
The experienced Spaniard is aiming to win his 22nd Grand Slam title as well as his 14th title at the Roland Garros. After cruising through the first three rounds without losing a set, Nadal won in five sets against Auger-Aliassime who is coached by his uncle Toni Nadal.
The Spanish coach certainly didn't want his nephew to lose, but his presence in the Canadian's coaching team might have influenced this match, as one of the reasons why he's Auger-Aliassime's coach is so that the Canadian player could improve also on the slower surfaces.
In the third game of the first set, Nadal had three break points but failed to use them. On the other hand, his opponent was successful in the next game and got a 3-1 lead.
Then, Nadal could have broken him back in the following game, but a 40-0 lead was not enough, and so he found himself 1-5 down. Despite Nadal getting one break back, Auger-Aliassime won the first set 6-3.
The story was much different in the second set. Fans in the French capital saw fewer breaks, but after the Canadian failed to use his chances, Nadal got the break in the eighth game and won the set 6-3.
He continued playing in a great rhythm as he didn't allow Auger-Aliassime to have a single break point in the third set and won it 6-2 to lead the match for the first time.
In the fourth set, Auger-Aliassime managed to come back and won it 6-3, but in the last set, Nadal was ruthless once again.
Eventually, the 13-time champion won the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 after four hours and 23 minutes. In the quarter-finals, he will take on Novak Djokovic, who defeated Diego Schwartzman earlier on Sunday.
