Nadal: "Federer is the best player in history"

Rafael Nadal hailed Roger Federer as "the best player in history" after blowing his old rival away in the Paris wind to reach a 12th French Open final. Federer felt the full force of the 11-time Roland Garros champion with the storm fast approaching on Friday.

Defending champion Nadal won 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 with winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour gusting on Court Philippe Chatrier. The wind barely dropped all match with both players buffeted throughout, and rubbing grit from their eyes from time to time.

Nadal had not beaten the 20-time Grand Slam winner in their last five matches, a run stretching back five years and, despite taking just two hours and 25 minutes to down the Swiss great, the second seed said it was by no means straightforward.

"It was a pleasure to play Roger. It was a high level all three sets, which was remarkable in this wind. It's incredible, congratulations to Roger. He is incredible to play at this level aged 37," Nadal said in his on-court interview after ending Federer's first French Open appearance for four years.

"He is the best player in history and it's been a great pleasure to play against Roger. Him and me know each other. We played many times against each other. But these are matches where we can always find this small plus, this additional shot.

"And when I play against Roger, I always expect the best from him."

Date: 8 June 2019, Source: Omnisport and Reuters