The indomitable spirit of a warrior

“It was unbelievable,” a drained Moya told a handful of reporters after the match. “He’s such a fighter, a warrior. I have no words to describe for what I saw today.”

Four years ago, at the 2013 French Open, Nadal explained how he had learned to enjoy suffering in big matches, finding the joy of winning so much better as a result. The indomitable spirit -- no matter what travails Nadal has endured -- has not waned.

On Friday, we saw the grimaces on his face, the clenched fists, screams of vamos. The emotion was raw, especially when he lost the fourth-set tiebreaker. Moya could barely watch.