Nadal withdraws from Qatar Open, says ‘not ready to compete’
Former world no. 1 tennis star Rafael Nadal has further delayed his comeback after pulling out of the upcoming Qatar Open.
Defending champions Rafael Nadal on Sunday advanced to the quarterfinals of the ongoing French Open after beating his fourth-round opponent Sebastian Korda in straight sets. In another match, last year’s finalist Dominic Thiem survived a five-set thriller.
12-time French Open champion Nadal produced another ruthless display of his class at the clay court Grand Slam as he defeated American qualifier Korda 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“With these conditions out there, with that wind, it’s unpredictable what the ball can do,” the reigning champion said after the match.
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“So we need to be ready and just you need to be quick enough mentally and physically to have the right answer when the ball is moving every single way, no? So just to be focused and to understand that a day like today you’re going to have mistakes,” he added.
It was Nadal’s 97th win at Roland Garros since making his debut in Paris in 2005. In what has been a remarkable career, Nadal has lost only two matches in the French Open.
The Spaniard will next face 19-year-old Sinner, who defeated Alexandar Zverev to become the youngest men’s Grand Slam quarterfinalist since Novak Djokovic in Paris in 2006
In another fourth-round men’s singles matcha, world number three Thiem edged past French star Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 6-3 in a five-set thriller. He will play 12th seed Diego Schwartzman in the quarterfinals.
In women’s singles, 19-year-old Iga Swiatek produced a scintillating performance to defeat top seed Simona Halep 6-1, 6-2 in the fourth round match that lasted 68 minutes.
Swiatek will face world number 159 Martina Trevisan who stunned another title favorite Kiki Bertens 6-4, 6-4.
In other match, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina registered a 6-1, 6-3 win against local hope Caroline Garcia to secure a spot in the last eight where she will face Nadia Podoroska.
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