French Open 2018: Rafael Nadal saved by the rain as quarter-final with Diego Schwartzman hangs in the balance

Usually a model of consistency, Nadal could not find his range in the face of some bold hitting by his opponent

Rafael Nadal is shielded from the rain (Getty Images)

As a sun-loving Mallorcan who likes to spend his spare time either fishing, on the golf course or on the beach, Rafael Nadal does not care much for bad weather. However, the rain which fell here at the French Open on Wednesday evening might just have kept alive the world No 1’s chances of winning at Roland Garros for the 11th time.

When play was called off for the day Nadal was trailing 6-4, 3-5 in his quarter-final against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman, who had ended the 32-year-old Spaniard’s winning streak of 37 completed sets on these courts.

However, Nadal might have been in a much more perilous situation but for a 53-minute stoppage for rain earlier in the second set. Mistiming his shots, serving poorly and looking bemused by his erratic play, Nadal had just been broken to go 3-2 down in the second set when the players first left the court at 5.35pm.

When they returned less than an hour later there was an immediate change of fortunes. Now Schwartzman was the one misfiring and by the time they had come off again just 17 minutes later Nadal had won 16 of the 22 points played since the resumption. Serving for the set, the Spaniard was leading 30-15 when the umpire called them off the court at 6.45pm before play was finally called off for the day 45 minutes later.

Nadal’s run of 37 winning sets had begun with his opening match here two years ago, although it was interrupted by his withdrawal with a wrist injury before his third-round match that year. The Spaniard needed to win only four more sets this year to equal Bjorn Borg’s all-time record, which the Swede had set between 1979 and 1981, but his run was ended in surprising fashion.

Usually a model of consistency, Nadal could not find his range in the face of some bold hitting by his opponent, who packs the sort of heavyweight punch you might not expect from the shortest man in the world’s top 100. Schwartzman, the world No 12, stands just 5ft 7in tall, but the 25-year-old Argentinian times the ball well and took the game to Nadal from the start.

Rafael Nadal struggled to find his rhythm (AFP/Getty Images)

Nadal’s biggest problem was his vulnerability on serve. Although the Spaniard has never had the biggest of serves he is normally a model of efficiency, but on this occasion he kept giving Schwartzman opportunities to attack. Nadal was broken in five of his first eight service games, in which he faced a total of 12 break points.

It was only Schwartzman’s difficulties holding his own serve that kept Nadal in contention in the first set. Five of the first nine games went against serve, but when Schwartzman served at 5-4 the Argentinian held firm. Two set points went begging – Nadal hit a superb drop shot winner on the first and was grateful for a missed backhand on the second – but on the third Schwartzman struck a stinging forehand winner down the line.

Nadal, who had both his forearms taped by a trainer before the start of the second set, was broken twice more before the first rain break. On the resumption, however, the Spaniard was hitting the ball with much more confidence and broke Schwartzman twice to lead 5-3. Schwartzman had just hit a backhand winner down the line to trail 30-15 on Nadal’s serve when the heavens opened again.

Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro were just about to go into a tie-break at the end of the first set when their match was called off for the day. Both quarter-finals will resume on Thursday.