Rafael Nadal has raised the level and, once again, has won his rival in three sets (6-4, 6-2, 7-6) to sneak into the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the eighth time. His victim: the Dutch Botic Van de Zandschulp, number 25 in the ATP ranking. In the penultimate round of the tournament, number 14 awaits, the American Taylor Fritz, who arrives after eliminating Jason Kubler in three comfortable sets (6-3, 6-1, 6-4).
The quarterfinal match between Rafa Nadal and Taylor Fritz will be played today, July 6, starting at 3:45 p.m. It can be seen live on the channel
After a somewhat hesitant start to the championship, suffering more than necessary in the first two rounds against inferior players on paper such as Cerúndolo or Berankis, the man from Manaco got his act together. He has not dropped a set against Sonego, nor in the round of 16 against Van de Zandschulp, a match in which he was superior from start to finish. Aggressive, dominant on serve and adjusting the shots to the lines, Nadal had no rival. "He has played better than in his last games, he has served surprisingly well," declared the Dutchman at the end of the match.
Three years later, the Spaniard will be in the Wimbledon quarters again. His physical problems are there, but Nadal assured in the post-match press conference that he is "a little tired" of talking about it and that he is "well enough". His game requires constant variations and adaptations and that is what he is doing. "It's obvious that I run less than before. When you lose things you have to add others to be competitive. It's what you have to do when you lose physical abilities," Nadal explained.
Getting into the semi-finals will not be easy. In front will be a tennis player who has not yet yielded a set so far in the tournament, the American Fritz. The world number 14, 24 years old, beat Kubler in the previous round with much superiority. The man from Manacorí and the American met twice before. In Acapulco, in 2020, Nadal won. However, the latest precedent is that of Indian Wells, this year, where Fritz dropped him from the competition.
