French Open 2022: Nadal ready for 'big challenge' against Zverev on 36th birthday

Spanish ace Rafael Nadal, who turned a year older on Friday, is set for his semi-final clash against Alexander Zverev in the French Open 2022 at Roland Garros.

The 13-time champion in Paris practiced for more than his scheduled 90 minutes yesterday to suggest he has more than recovered from his marathon late-night clash to oust World No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Also read: French Open 2022: Nadal deserved to win, admits Djokovic after quarter-final loss

36-year-old Nadal trained hard, showcasing his trademarks forehands and serves to enthral a bunch of fans witnessing their favourite star during his practice session. "The grind never stops 💪 @rafaelnadal," wrote Roland Garros on their official Instagram handle as they shared a video of the Spaniard gearing up for his semi-final clash.

"I'm okay," Nadal said after practice. "I'm excited to be in the semi-finals, of course. A big challenge is coming," the 13-time French Open champion added.

"Zverev is playing great. He had a good clay-court season, and he's playing well. He beat [quarter-finalist Carlos] Alcaraz because he did a lot of things well, so I need to play at my 100 per cent again," Nadal remarked.

Nadal would be confident after defeating Djokovic in four sets (6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6), taking revenge for last year's loss where the Serb defeated him in the semi-final. Djokovic went on to clinch the French Open 2021 title.

As for Zverev, the big-serving German defeated Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7) to book his berth for the semis.

Also read: French Open 2022: Time to learn and improve, says Alcaraz after loss to Zverev

The Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev French Open 2022 semi-final will take place at the Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris. The match is expected to start at 6:15 PM IST on Friday and will be aired on the Sony Sports Network and streamed live on the SONY LIV app.