2021 Rome Masters QF Rafael Nadal bt. Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4
Next - Reilly Opelka
Rafael Nadal: “I’m super happy, because after the battle of yesterday, to be able to be on court against a player like Sasha… He had tough match too, but he’s more than 10 years younger than me and I remember well the feeling on the body when you are younger comparing for today and the feeling is completely different. But I was able to be fit, to be ready, and this is something that gives me confidence. So, I’m very happy for that.
Today I played much better than yesterday. I did a lot of things well, playing much more solid. So, yeah, I think I played one of the more solid match on clay this year against a very tough opponent. Yeah, it’s a great victory for me.
I think I played more solid than in Madrid. At the same time, conditions are different. In Madrid, he was able to create a lot of damage with his serve and then with the first shot. Here, the situation is a little bit different. A little bit more normal conditions on the clay, so I was able to control a little bit more the game than in Madrid.
He’s (Opelka) a very tough opponent to play. He has huge, huge serve. So, I need to be very focused with my serve and try to give myself some chances on the return. So let’s see. Let’s see what’s going on. I know he has a huge serve and he’s able to play aggressive from the baseline too. So I need to play well”.
Photos: Getty Images; AP; Reuters; EFE; AFP; LaPresse
• Last game & Post-match interview