'I am 32, and I’ve been around since 2003, so it's a long way, a lot of years. I started very young. That's a real thing,' says Rafa.
World number one Rafael Nadal will continue his quest for record 11th French Open title, when he crosses swords with Diego Schwartzman in the quarter-finals of the men's singles event in Paris on Wednesday.
The Spanish tennis maestro heading into the clash on the back of an easy straight sets win over Maximilian Marterer, beating the German 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 to reach the last-eight of Roland Garros for the 12th time.
After the match, Nadal, who turned 32 on Sunday, refelected on his time on time on the tour over the years. In doing so, the legend gave a fair idea of how long he intends to keep going.
"I don't feel old. I don't feel old," said Rafa. “But I am 32, and I’ve been around since 2003, so it's a long way, a lot of years. I started very young. That's a real thing. But, no, I feel happy to be here. Being honest, I am enjoying the day by day on the tour and I hope to keep doing this for a while," he added.
Nadal also explained how he won't take his quarter-final opponent lightly in his quest for an unprecedented 11th Roland Garros title. “He's No. 12 in the world. It's a match against one of the best players of the world today, so what you expect is a very tough match and you need to be ready to accept that's going to be a tough match and fight for it.
“I know what I have to do. Then is tough to make that happen, because he's so good. But I hope to be ready to play at my best, and let's see what's going on. He’s always a tough player and it is always good to see him in the quarter-final because he's a good friend, a good person. He's a worker, and I happy to see him having all this success. Hopefully not too much!” said Nadal.
Schwartzman, on the other hand, rebounded strongly from two-set down to thrash Kevin Anderson of South Africa 1-6, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-2 in nearly four hours to reach the quarter-finals for the second time in the last three Grand Slam tournaments that 25-year-old Schwartzman has made the quarter-finals.
Nadal and Schwartzman have met each other five times previously, with the Spaniard clinching all of those matches and dropping just one set in the process during the fourth round at this year's Australian Open.
Elsewhere, top-seed Simona Halep will also look to book her place in the semi-finals of the women's singles event when she faces 12th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany in the quarter-final clash later on Wednesday.
While Halep defeated Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-1 in her round-of-16, Kerber also eased past seventh-seed Caroline Garcia of France 6-1, 6-3 to storm into the quarter-finals.
(Inputs from ANI)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Rafael Nadal in action during French Open 2018")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}