Irritations Denis Shapovalov about slow Rafael Nadal: ‘You are all corrupt’ | Tennis

sport">Shapovalov complained to the umpire who did not intervene. “You are all corrupt,” he sneered at referee Carlos Bernardes, among other things. After a chat with Nadal at the net, Shapovalov calmed down again.

sport">Nadal seemed on his way to a quick win after two sets, but after Shapovalov had won the third, the problems arose. “I was completely through it. It was so hot. My stomach started to hurt and he was still playing better,” said Nadal, who stayed on his feet with some tablets. With a break in the second game of the fifth set, he took a decisive lead. After 4 hours and 8 minutes, the game was over.

sport">Nadal won’t have to go back on track until Friday. Due to a new tournament format, he has an extra day off. “That comes in very handy, I’m not 21 anymore,” he said on the track and then looked back on difficult months. A foot injury kept him out for a long time, while he also tested positive for corona in December. “Two months ago I wondered if I would return to this level and now I can make history. It is a gift of life.”

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