"I heard someone call the ball out, I thought the point was over and he didn't move. I didn't know if they were going to replay it or give me the point. I have to see [the replay] because I haven't seen it yet. I stopped the point when I heard the ball out. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'll see. He stopped the point. I don't know if it was right to replay it or give it to me, but that's how it was", Garín began by defending.

After winning the first set, 6-2, the number 112 in the ATP ranking sealed access to the semifinals with a victory in the tie-break of the second set, 7-6 (7-3), after a somewhat controversial play, following the referee's decision to award him the point, even though his ball went out.

"[Surprised by the decision] No, because I thought he had stopped. When we were arguing, he [Nuno] said he hadn't stopped, but to me he stopped because he went straight to see the mark. But it was just one point. After that, I think we played about 15 more and the game was one of the longest I've ever played. The atmosphere was crazy after that and I'm very proud of the way I dealt with it. I stayed very focused and it was very good for me", he added.

Making his debut in the quarterfinals of the Portuguese ATP 250, the national number one and 62nd in the world ranking was eliminated after two hours and 10 minutes of a match that had a tense atmosphere in the stands.

"Now, I'm proud, but during the match it's a bit annoying, because every time I missed or made a double fault they booed me. But, anyway, I've seen this kind of thing before, I've been playing the Davis Cup for a long time and it wasn't the first time. And I understand why people wanted Nuno to win. I already have experience and I've been dealing with it better and better", he said.

After a year that was "mentally and physically tough", Cristian Garín says he is "trying to play at 100% and recover to compete with the best in the world." And the first qualification for a semifinal of an ATP tournament in two years is already a good sign.

"It's so important, it means a lot to me. Since Tuesday I've been playing very well, I like being here in Portugal. I haven't been able to play in recent years and I'm very happy to be back. The conditions are very good for me, I've also been enjoying the city and it's been a very good week for me. I haven't reached a semifinal in a long time. I've been playing very well and I hope to continue like this", confessed the Chilean.

In the next round, Garín, 27, will face Polish Hubert Hurkacz, second seed of the Estoril Open and, as he recalls, "a world top-10."

"He's been winning big tournaments, he's someone I respect a lot. But in the semifinals you never know, you have to compete. I'm going to compete. Today, I feel like I fought on every point and I'm going to try to do the same. I'm going to play my game and try to put pressure on", he concluded.

Leia Também: In controversial game, Nuno Borges loses and is eliminated from the Estoril Open (Portuguese version)