Rafael Nadal said he “would rather lose Sunday’s final” in exchange for a new left foot after playing his 14th French Open match on Friday. Nadal reached the final after Alexander Zverev was forced to retire from the final quarters due to an ankle injury. Nadal, the 13-time champion, will pursue a record-breaking 22nd Grand Slam title on Sunday, but has insisted throughout this Roland Garros that a chronic left foot injury means any match could be the last of his career. outstanding.
“I would definitely prefer to lose the final,” said Nadal, who turned 36 on Friday.
“My opinion does not change. A new foot would allow me to be happier in my daily life.
“Winning is very nice and gives you an adrenaline rush, but it’s temporary and then you have to keep living.”
“I have a life ahead of me and in the future I would love to play sports with my friends. My happiness is ahead of any title,” he insisted.
Nadal will face Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Nadal said it was only “human” for him to feel sympathy for Zverev after the injury that forced him to retire from the semi-finals.
The weeping number three in the German world Zverev has had to get off the track in a wheelchair after his fall at the end of the second set which left him twisted and screaming in agony.
When he limped back to Court Philippe Chatrier with crutches to give way to the match, the two men shared a warm hug.
“If you’re human, you feel sorry for a partner,” Nadal said.
Zverev lost 7-6 (10/8), 6-6 after more than three hours of play at the time of the terror injury.
“It’s not easy to talk about it. I hope he’s not too injured, I hope he’s not broken,” Nadal said. “I was with him when I was doing the ultrasound.”
The match was played under the roof of the Court Philippe Chatrier, creating very humid conditions with 15,000 spectators watching.
However, Nadal said the track was not in poor condition.
“It was an accident, it was just a moment of bad luck.”
Nadal praised Zverev’s performance as the German tried to become the first German to reach the final since Michael Stich in 1996.
“It was a very tough match. He was playing amazing and I know what it means for him to win a Grand Slam.
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“The conditions weren’t ideal for me. I had to survive a lot. The first set was a miracle but I was struggling.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated channel.)
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