Rafael Nadal delivered a performance for the ages as he battled through an abdominal issue on Wednesday to beat Taylor Fritz in five sets and reach the Wimbledon semifinals.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion was hampered by an abdominal injury and admitted after that match that he considered perhaps quitting at one point, but he showed an incredible fighting spirit as he has often done in his career to win 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) after over four hours of brutal tennis.
Just @RafaelNadal things 😤
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2022
The champion comes back to defeat Taylor Fritz in a five-set epic, 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/G7Luqy8lSH
From *that* victory on this day in 2008 to the latest one against Taylor Fritz – one Rafael Nadal, countless memories.#Wimbledonhttps://t.co/gdqaCPAryL pic.twitter.com/1Hl1tmOAyf
— The Field (@thefield_in) July 6, 2022
Nadal will now face Nick Kyrgios, who defeated Cristian Garin in straight sets, in the semifinals.
The Spaniard started the match by breaking the 24-year-old American but his level dipped soon after and he dropped the opener. In the second set, he started to struggle with his movements and soon enough, he looked in great discomfort.
Nadal took a medical timeout and decided to carry on playing. It seemed at that point that Fritz would run away with the contest but Nadal upped his game at just the right moment to clinch the second set.
His movement kept getting better as the match progressed thereafter. He was initially relying on minimal movement and powerful groundstrokes but started chasing down balls more efficiently in the last three sets.
Fritz dug deep to win the third set but Nadal produced some clutch play in the last two sets to bag another incredible victory.
Having won the Australian and French Opens earlier, the 36-year-old is yet to lose a Grand Slam match this year.