Carlos Moya, coach of world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, will be breaking down Rafa's performances at Roland Garros for ATPWorldTour.com. Nadal hopes to lift the trophy for the 11th time.
On Thursday, the defending champion defeated Guido Pella 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 to advance to the third round, where he'll face Richard Gasquet for a place in the Round of 16. Moya lists five key takeaways from Nadal’s win over Pella.
A Solid Win
I'm happy with how things went today. Nadal was a little more comfortable than he was (against Simone Bolelli) and didn't have to over-exert himself against Guido. We expect a tough test on Saturday when Rafa faces Gasquet.
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A Better Showing Than Tuesday
This is the norm with Rafa: He starts off slowly at Grand Slams and builds momentum. The first two rounds have been a feeling-out process. He's not at his best yet, but as the level of competition improves, so will his level of play.
Handling nerves
At Roland Garros, Rafa's always a little nervous, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. It's typical for him to experience some anxiety early on at a Grand Slam, even here, where he's won 10 times. We know how to deal with that.
On The Offensive
After the first set, Rafa turned up his aggression. He found that next gear in the second and third sets. That was the Nadal we are used to seeing -- in his groove, finding his rhythm and on the attack.
Room For Improvement
Again, the score sheet doesn't tell the whole story. Nadal was aggressive and played well, but he didn't dominate throughout, as the final score suggests. He's settling down, set by set, but he still has a way to go.