The match between Rafael Nadal and Felix Auger-Aliassime was a family challenge. The two players met in the fourth round of Roland Garros in a four-hour match: only the fifth set gave the Spaniard victory and access to the quarter-finals, where he will face world number one Novak Djokovic.
This round of 16, however, saw a lowest common factor: Toni Nadal. Toni is the uncle of the Iberian champion, as well as his former coach, and is the current coach of the young Canadian. Before the match, Uncle Nadal had already given a clue as to who would be his favorite of the match: “I would never say anything to Auger so that he can beat my nephew.
Above all, I am Rafael’s uncle, I have been with him for many years and I work for him. And even if I didn’t work, I would never tell anyone else how to beat him. I told him and he accepted. Ethically, I won’t even tell my nephew what he has to do to win.”
Rafa Nadal’s uncle, however, also spoke after the match and, on that occasion, he got unbalanced, revealing his support. Following the match between Nadal and Auger-Aliassime, Uncle Toni declared who he cheered for: “Félix is Félix, but my nephew is my nephew.
I wanted Nadal to win. For us this tournament is always very special,” clarified Toni Nadal.
Nadal vs Auger-Aliassime
That the problems could occur in conjunction with the second week was quite obvious. That Felix Auger Aliassime could even become the third player in history to push him to the fifth set, well, maybe a little less.
A so-so Nadal manages to get out of trouble against the Canadian talent, who perhaps in the initial stages of the deciding set seems to have even more fuel in the tank. Nadal, a character incredibly reluctant to defeat, however, condenses all the attentions in the game-number eight and with a handful of masterpieces puts the decisive shoulder.
Despite two sets as a non-paying spectator, the thirteen-time champion of the tournament seals the win at 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 and reaches Novak Djokovic. It will be the fifty-nine challenge between the two, the tenth in Paris. Leads Nadal with 7 wins and just 2 defeats.
