French Open: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic set up Roland Garros quarter final clash as Coleman Wong crashes out
- Rafael Nadal set up a mouthwatering French Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic after a dramatic victory over Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime
- Hong Kong teen Coleman Wong crashed out of the French Open Junior Championship singles tournament with a 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 loss to Switzerland’s Kilian Feldbausch
Rafael Nadal set up a blockbuster French Open quarter final against world number one Novak Djokovic on Sunday when he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set fourth round epic and pledged to “fight until the end”.
Nadal, the 13-time champion at Roland Garros and holder of a record 21 grand slam titles, triumphed over the Canadian 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a match which lasted four hours and 21 minutes.
It was only the third time in his 17-year, 112-match career in Paris that Nadal had been stretched to five sets. Nadal and Djokovic will meet for the 10th time at Roland Garros and 59th overall in a rivalry stretching back to 2006.
“We know each other well, we have a lot of history. The only thing I can say is that I will be focused, try my best and fight until the end,” said Nadal on facing the defending champion on Tuesday.
Djokovic has been responsible for two of Nadal’s three defeats in Paris – in the quarter-finals in 2015 and last year’s semi-finals. Nadal hailed 21-year-old Auger-Aliassime, who has been working with his uncle and former coach Toni since April last year.
“Felix is a great player. He’s very young with a lot of power and great mobility,” said the 35-year-old Spaniard who has made the last-eight for the 16th time.
Ninth-ranked Auger-Aliassime raced into a 3-1 lead in the first set and battled from three break points down to edge 4-1 ahead. Nadal retrieved one of the breaks in the seventh game but the 21-year-old Canadian held his nerve to pocket the opener.