Day 8 diary: Rafa’s early birthday present

As has become a fond Roland-Garros tradition - almost as regular as his 11 title triumphs - Rafael Nadal invariably celebrates his birthday during the championships and he received his perfect early present before turning 33 on Monday with a straightforward passage to the quarter-finals.

After defeating the plucky Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 to reach his 38th Grand Slam quarter-final, the champion was asked how he planned to mark the big day.

On what will be a practice day for him, with the traditional Roland-Garros birthday cake doubtless winging his way, Nadal explained: “What can I do? Just celebrate here a little bit with the people from the tournament, all the workers there that, being honest, for me, are so special, because I always had an amazing relationship with all of them. And then probably have a dinner, small dinner.”

Nothing extravagant, though.

“I play the next day, so not a big thing,” he said, before conceding with a smile and a raised eyebrow: “And I am not happy to be 33 already!” 

Petra toasts her win without the vin rouge 

When Petra Martic had her last inspiring run at Roland-Garros two years ago, coming through the qualifiers to reach the last-16, she celebrated victory after each round with a nice glass of red wine.

So after booking her first-ever quarter-final appearance at any Grand Slam with her victory over Kaia Kanepi, it prompted the thought that perhaps she was again following her 2017 ritual.

Alas, in this current heatwave, we can forget that delicious idea.

“No, I can't afford it right now. It's too dehydrating for me,” smiled the Croat. “Right now I need to focus to stay hydrated and rest.”

Then, a quick pause for thought.

“But after this tournament, I'm going to have a few, I promise!…”

Marketa, the drop shot tormentor

If the heat wasn’t hard enough to cope with after being left fatigued by her third round epic with Elise Mertens, poor Anastasija Sevastova found herself being subjected to another sapping trial as she had to chase down drop shot after drop shot from the cruel and inventive racquet of teenager Marketa Vondrousova.

The 17-year-old does love a drop shot, as opponents on the WTA tour have come to learn, as she employs the tactic with great effectiveness. Yet, though her little dinks and dabs come with some regularity, they are so accurate that it still takes a hell of a job to combat them.

“I started to playing with one coach in the city where I was born. And he just played that on me, and I just learned it. And, yeah, I just keep playing until now,” she smiled after her breakthrough 6-2, 6-0 win. 

Has anyone ever told you to hit fewer drop shots, she was asked. There could only be one answer. “No!” the teenager said with a laugh.

Stats of the day

17 - Vondrousova became the youngest Czech player to reach a major quarter-final since Nicole Vaidisova at Wimbledon in 2008 and was also the youngest first-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist from her country since Lucie Safarova at the Australian Open 2007.

30 - The number of main draw appearances it has taken for Croatia’s Martic to finally make the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam after her victory over Kanepi.

36 - The number of years since Britain last celebrated one of their women players reaching the singles quarter-finals at Roland-Garros. Johanna Konta matched Jo Durie’s 1983 achievement by reaching the last eight and will next try to match her feat of making it to the semi-finals that year.

38 - Nadal took sole ownership of fourth place on the all-time list of appearances in Open Era men’s singles quarter-finals ahead of Roy Emerson by reaching his 38th Grand Slam quarter-final.

54 - Roger Federer reached his 12th Roland Garros quarter-final and extended his entire Grand Slam record by reaching a fifty-fourth in total thanks to his win over Leonardo Mayer.

107.5 - The average number of minutes spent on court per match so far by Federer over his first four contests, after his latest 102-minute win.

317 - The extra amount of time in minutes - over five and a quarter hours - that Wawrinka has spent on court in his first four matches at Roland-Garros, compared to his quarter-final opponent Federer.  

389 - The number of points played by Wawrinka and Stefanos Tsitsipas in their epic last-16 match. Tsitsipas won 195 points to Wawrinka’s 194 but it was the Swiss who emerged triumphant in the scoreline that really counted. 

Quotes of the day

“I would love to win any Grand Slam. It doesn't matter which one. If it happens, I will be the happiest ever. But this one is my favourite one. Yeah, if this one would be the one, that would be a dream come true, one hundred per cent.”
-- Martic on her love affair with Roland-Garros.

“Totally possible, I don't think I would use it, but I have thought about it many times. I don't think it's disrespectful. It's part of what you're allowed to do. Anything in the rules is okay.”
-- Roger Federer, when asked if he would consider using an underarm serve against an opponent standing way beyond the baseline

“I won a sort of a championship. I feel sort of like a champion, because on such a large court, I played very well against Nadal.”
-- Juan Ignacio Londero felt like a winner despite mustering just eight games against champion Nadal.

"I feel exhausted. Never experienced something like this in my life. I feel very disappointed at the end. Long time since I cried after a match, so emotionally wasn't easy to handle. I will try to learn from it as much as I can.”
-- Tsitsipas on the pain and tears that came with defeat after his longest-ever match - over five hours - against Wawrinka.

"I don't think I have ever been booed. I mean, I've been cheered against, which if you've ever played Simona Halep in any country near Romania then you know what that's like. But I have never been, like, legit booed."

-- Sloane Stephens is quite the expert when it comes to facing Simona Halep.