The Spaniard with a record 21 Grand Slam trophies since his coronation at the Australian Open in January had to fight for 4h21 min to get out of the trap Félix Auger-Aliassime (9th) 3-6, 6-3, 6- 2, 3-6, 6-3 in the round of 16 and join Djokovic in the next round, for the 59th episode of the most prolific rivalry in men's tennis.

"Of course it's the match that many people have been waiting for since the draw," admits the Serb.

Serbian Novak Djokovic, in his round of 16 against Argentinian Diego Schwartzman, on May 29, 2022 at the Roland-Garros tournament Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP

Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish prodigy already world No.6 at 19 thanks to a hair-raising spring, was also invited to the quarter-finals, for the first time in his budding career in Paris.

He will face world No.3 Alexander Zverev, who defeated Spanish qualifier Bernabé Zapata (7-6 (13/11), 7-5, 6-3) and whom he crushed in the final in Madrid in early May (6- 3, 6-1).

After the fright of the second round, when he had to dismiss a match point, Alcaraz kept up the pace: he dominated the Russian Karen Khachanov (25th) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in 2h14 min.

Close to a few minutes, the duration of his previous victory, at the expense of the young American talent Sebastian Korda.

health walk

The round of 16 against Félix Auger-Aliassime had, meanwhile, a flavor of family reunion for "Rafa", since his uncle Toni, who has shaped him since childhood, has been advising "FAA" for a little over 'a year.

Neither in the box of his nephew, nor in that of the young Canadian, as he had announced: the uncle coach took his place in the front row of the presidential rostrum, in the middle of the court, alongside the president of the French Federation tennis player Gilles Moretton, applauding sometimes in favor of one, sometimes in favor of the other.

The Spaniard Rafael Nadal, during his round of 16 against the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, on May 29, 2022 at the Roland-Garros tournament Thomas SAMSON AFP

After being only a shadow of himself at the start of the match, Nadal was able to gradually regain control of the game, until leading two sets to one.

But when we thought the outcome was heard, Auger-Aliassime, carried by his service, forced the Spanish champion to play a fifth set.

And a fight of almost four and a half hours that he risks paying physically.

In 112 matches played on clay in Paris (including 109 won!), it was only Nadal's third in five rounds, the first since 2013.

Because the Majorcan arrived in Paris on the most precarious dynamic of his career: only five matches played on clay, no final, the fault of a fatigue fracture in the ribs two months from Roland-Garros, and a left foot in capilotade ten days before.

"Trying With All My Might"

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to or not, I don't have enough background to feel if I have the background to play at the level I need to beat someone like Novak, but I I will try with all my might," promised Nadal.

Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, in the round of 16 against Spaniard Rafael Nadal, May 29, 2022 at the Roland-Garros tournament Thomas SAMSON AFP

Djokovic, on the contrary, continued his health walk.

This time against Argentinian Diego Schwartzman (16th), ejected 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in just over two hours.

Here is the 35-year-old Serb in the quarter-finals for the thirteenth consecutive year at Roland-Garros.

And quickly: without losing a single set, only losing thirty games in four matches and having spent barely more than eight hours on the courts of Porte d'Auteuil.

No more doubt: the world No.1 has become himself again after his first quarter started by his incredible expulsion from Australia and passed almost without competition, for lack of a vaccine against Covid-19, and his rise to power over the season on ochre.

Between "Rafa" and "Nole", the last duel dates back to a year ago, already on Parisian clay, but a step higher: Djokovic had knocked down Nadal, thirteen times Porte d'Auteuil winner, after a fight of more than four hours (3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2) before offering the trophy.

For Nadal, 36 years old on June 3, he had already sounded the painful awakening of his left foot.

"I'm happy not to have spent too much time on the court to reach the quarter-finals, knowing that playing it at Roland-Garros is always a physical fight, in addition to everything else, believes Djokovic. C "It's a huge challenge. Probably the biggest you can have here at Roland-Garros. I'm ready."

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© 2022 AFP