2017 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters QF Rafael Nadal bt. Diego Schwartzman 6/4 6/4
“I am through, I am in semi-finals,” said Nadal. “That’s what I’m looking for, it’s a great start to the clay-court season. Tomorrow, I am going to have a very tough match against a player that is playing so good. I need to play better than today, obviously. But I think the conditions are going to be different. I hope to be ready to play well.”
“[Goffin] is a great player. He’s a player that is playing unbelievably well during the whole season. He is winning so many matches. A big, talented player. I know he can win against everybody. And he knows that. Every time he’s more and more confident. I said last year, ‘He’s a player that can fight for the top position’, because he’s a very complete player on all of the surfaces. He can play well everywhere. That’s very important today. He is a big, big player.”
“I think I had the [winning] mentality when I was 4-2 in the second set,” said Nadal.
“These matches have been up and down, not easy to find a real way to win until then. In the last three and a half games, I played much better, more aggressive with my forehand. I finally found the way to create damage to the opponent.”
Photos: Getty Images; AFP; Nice Matin; REUTERS; Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters
• Last game