20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal answered the question of how he managed to win the match against Denis Shapovalov in the quarterfinals Australian Open – 6:3, 6:4, 4:6, 3:6, 6:3.
In the fourth set, Nadal called the doctor to the court because of problems with the stomach.
“I do not know. I was completely shattered. A very hard day, very hot – I did not prepare for this.
I don’t know, at the beginning of the fifth set I was lucky. At the beginning of the match, I played great. But with such an opponent as Denis, it is very difficult – he is very talented, very aggressive, served powerfully, especially with the second ball.
I had chances at the beginning of the third, when in one game I led 30:0, in the other 30:15 and the dribbler missed the line. I missed them, and then tiredness set in, and he added. It’s amazing for me that I was able to reach the semi-finals.
In the fourth set, I got stomach problems. I asked for medicine, and after the fourth set in the room under the stands, they measured my blood pressure, checked that everything was fine.
In the end it was still the same. I was lucky that in the fifth set I served well.
I’m not 21 anymore, so it’s great that after such a match I will have two days off. In general, I felt fine in terms of movement, but the conditions were very difficult – I have not encountered this in the last week and a half.
But it was a good test and I hope to be ready for the semi-finals.”