PARIS (AP) — Isa pang panalo sa French Open at dagdad sa career milestones kay Rafael Nadal.
Ginapi ng Spaniard superstar ang sumisikat na German na si Maximilian Marterer, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4), nitong Lunes (Martes sa Manila) upang makausad sa quarterfinals at lagpasan ang marka ni Jimmy Connors sa all-time list ng match-winner sa major. Naitala ni Connors ang kabuuang 233. Nakuha ni Nadal ang 234.
Nangunguna si Roger Federer na may 332, kasunod si Novak Djokovic na may 244 Grand Slam wins.
Ngunit, sa kasalukuyan, nakatuon ang pansin ni Nadal sa ika-11 titulo sa Roland Garros.
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“I don’t feel myself old. But I am 32, and I am here around since 2003, so it’s a long way, a lot of years. I started very young,” pahayag ni Nadal. “Being honest, I am enjoying the day by day on the tour and I hope to keep doing this for a while.”
Sunod na makakaharap ni Nadal – nasa ika-12 quarterfinals sa Roland Garros – ang firt-timer na si Diego Schwartzman ng Argentina.
Ang isa pang nalalabing player na may pinakamaraming career quarterfinals (12) ay si Djokovic, sasabak kontra Marco Cecchinato ng Italy.
Kinumpleto nina Juan Martin del Potro at Marin Cilic, parehong dating U.S. Open champions, ang quarterfinal lineup.
Naisalba ni Cilic, runner-up sa Australian Open nitong Enero, ang matikas na hataw ni Fabio Fognini, 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-3.
“Just a crazy match. It was just hanging by a thread. A couple of points decided it,” sambit ng Croatian star.
Naungusan naman ni Del Potro si John Isner, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
“I was outplayed by a large margin. I would have liked to maybe put up a better fight,” ayon kay Isner.
