French Open: 'Witnessing history' - Why Rafael Nadal fans must cherish every point amid retirement talk

Fans of Rafael Nadal are «witnessing history» and that is why his matches are such an attraction at the French Open, according to Mats Wilander and Tim Henman. The 35-year-old had to be at his resilient, battling best as he overcame Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets to book a quarter-final showdown with his old rival, world No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic, in the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros.

Ad/> However his preparation for the clay-court Grand Slam was interrupted due to his chronic foot problem, and Nadal has suggested his days at the top are numbered. /> Roland-Garros'Oh dear!' — Corretja reacts to Nadal v Djokovic being played at night33 MINUTES AGO “I am in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros,” Nadal told a press conference following his win over Auger-Aliassime. “I am just enjoying the fact I am here for one more year.

“Being honest, every match that I play here I do not know if it will be the last match here in Roland-Garros in my tennis career. That is my situation now. “I went through a tough process again with my foot.

I do not know what will happen in the near future with my career, so I am just trying to enjoy and fight as much as I can to keep living the dream. “I hope to give myself a chance to play at the highest level possible and then let’s see.” Eurosport expert Wilander attempted to explain why fans are so desperate to see Nadal in action this year at Roland-Garros and why it is so special to secure a ticket to one of his matches. “Well, I mean, it’s very interesting because in general, the French crowd will always be for the underdog, and rightly so," he told Eurosport.