<p>Rafael Nadal wants to be forever young, but the world number one will probably have to settle for tennis immortality.<br /><br />The 31-year-old Spaniard advanced to his 32nd Grand Slam quarterfinal and seventh US Open last-eight on Monday by defeating Ukraine’s 64th-ranked Alexandr Dolgopolov for his 50th Open match win.<br /><br />The 15-time Grand Slam champion will next face Russian 19-year-old Andrey Rublev, the youngest quarterfinalist since Andy Roddick in 2001.<br /><br />Rublev could become the youngest US Open semifinalist since Australian Lleyton Hewitt in 200.<br /><br />“Of course if I can come back to 19, I take it,” Nadal said. “A lot more years to enjoy the tour, a lot more years to enjoy the life. Of course, better be 19 than 31. I always wanted to be young. Even when I was eight years old, I was not very happy, when it was my birthday, to be nine. Still the same. I am 31 and I am not happy when my birthday going to be 32. “I am happy being young, no? I don’t want to get older. For the moment, I didn’t find the way to stop that watch.”<br /><br />In a year where Nadal appears to be turning back the clock, he has won his record 10th French Open title and fallen to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final.<br /><br />Nadal would, however, like to ease the load on his aging body and future stars by not playing so much on hardcourts like those he is cruising to victory upon in New York, although he says they give him less trouble now than Wimbledon grass.</p>
<p>Rafael Nadal wants to be forever young, but the world number one will probably have to settle for tennis immortality.<br /><br />The 31-year-old Spaniard advanced to his 32nd Grand Slam quarterfinal and seventh US Open last-eight on Monday by defeating Ukraine’s 64th-ranked Alexandr Dolgopolov for his 50th Open match win.<br /><br />The 15-time Grand Slam champion will next face Russian 19-year-old Andrey Rublev, the youngest quarterfinalist since Andy Roddick in 2001.<br /><br />Rublev could become the youngest US Open semifinalist since Australian Lleyton Hewitt in 200.<br /><br />“Of course if I can come back to 19, I take it,” Nadal said. “A lot more years to enjoy the tour, a lot more years to enjoy the life. Of course, better be 19 than 31. I always wanted to be young. Even when I was eight years old, I was not very happy, when it was my birthday, to be nine. Still the same. I am 31 and I am not happy when my birthday going to be 32. “I am happy being young, no? I don’t want to get older. For the moment, I didn’t find the way to stop that watch.”<br /><br />In a year where Nadal appears to be turning back the clock, he has won his record 10th French Open title and fallen to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final.<br /><br />Nadal would, however, like to ease the load on his aging body and future stars by not playing so much on hardcourts like those he is cruising to victory upon in New York, although he says they give him less trouble now than Wimbledon grass.</p>