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via Reuters

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via Reuters

Rafael Nadal is yet to drop a set at the French Open 2020 en route to the semi-finals. There, he will face Diego Schwartzman who will be going into the match on the back of an almost five-hour long five-setter against Dominic Thiem. This was a match that had long and tiring rallies in abundance.

However, Schwartzman is also fresh off beating Nadal in straight sets at the Italian Open from a few weeks ago. Additionally, Nadal believes the conditions favor the game of his Argentinian opponent more.

We are in a special tournament for me. I think the conditions are perhaps a little bit more favorable for his style of play, but I have to find my way to hurt him and to have a chance to win,” Nadal said after his win against Jannik Sinner on Tuesday.

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(Quotes have been translated with Google Translate)

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via Reuters

Rafael Nadal is aware of the challenge posed by Schwartzman

The conditions also favored Sinner’s game more in the quarter-final, but Nadal found a way to conquer the match all the same. The Spaniard knows where his game needs to be at, against Schwartzman.

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“I need to improve some things. The end of the game shows me what my game has to be in order to have a chance to continue in this tournament. I know that I will play against a very, very difficult opponent in the semi-finals,” Nadal said further.

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Different mindset, a different strategy

Nadal admitted that he has to play differently than the way he did in the Rome quarter-final. “I am excited and with the motivation and attitude to do [things differently than in Rome]. I hope to be ready to reach the level I need in the semi-finals,” Nadal added.

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The head-to-head record between the two men favors Nadal heavily, with nine wins in ten matches. However, many of those matches have been quite competitive. Schwartzman has twice taken a set off Nadal in Grand Slams, at both the Australian Open and the French Open in 2018.

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