As Rafael Nadal stood one match from a French Open title for the 14th time, he was asked what initially seemed like an amusing question. The query was simple: whether he would sign up for a magical new foot if it meant losing the final.
“I would prefer to lose the final without a doubt,” Nadal said soberly after his semi-final against Alexander Zverev. “My thoughts haven’t changed; in the end a new foot would allow me to be more happy in my day-to-day life. Winning is lovely and it fills you with adrenaline for a short moment but life goes on. Life is much more important than whatever title.”
