'I'm only human', says Nadal ahead of 11th French Open semi-final

Rafael Nadal insisted he still "feels pressure" and is "only human", after battling back from a set down to beat Diego Schwartzman on Thursday and set up a French Open semi-final clash with Juan Martin del Potro.

The 10-time champion was much-improved under the sunshine on Court Philippe Chatrier after finding life difficult the night before, clinching a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over dogged Argentinian Schwartzman on his fourth match point.

It is the 11th time the 32-year-old Spaniard has reached the French Open last four, becoming only the third man in history to achieve the feat at a Grand Slam tournament, after Jimmy Connors at the US Open and Roger Federer at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

"I don't have any obligation to win, first thing. Second thing, if you don't feel the pressure, it's because you don't love the sport," said Nadal, who has never failed to win the title in Paris after reaching the semi-finals.

"Pressure is good. You are able to control that. That pressure, that adrenaline, can be in a positive way." The 16-time Grand Slam champion was pushed for three hours and 42 minutes by 11th seed Schwartzman, but will face Del Potro for a place in the final after the fifth seed downed Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.

When asked why he still felt stress before resuming on Thursday despite all of his past achievements, Nadal said: "(Because) I am a human person.

"Sometimes you play better, sometimes you are more nervous."
- Tearful Del Potro -
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"I've been a long time without feeling good with my body. I had surgery three times on my wrist and I was close to quitting this sport. I don't have words to explain what this means to me and my team."