Rafael Nadal began his quest for the Paris edition of “La Décima” with relative ease on Monday at Roland Garros, dismissing Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 in just under two hours.
“For me, it's important to serve a little bit better than what I did today... I feel that some moments I was not serving that well. The rest of the things I am happy with,” Nadal said.
The nine-time Roland Garros champion is again looking to make history during this European clay-court swing as he seeks a record 10th Roland Garros title. No man or woman has won a Grand Slam event 10 times in the Open Era (since April 1968).
Most titles at the same Grand Slam tournament (men and women)
|
Player |
Grand Slam |
Titles |
Years |
|
Margaret Court |
11 |
1960-66, 1969-71, 1973 |
|
|
Martina Navratilova |
9 |
1978-79, 1982-87, 1990 |
|
|
9 |
2005-08, 2010-2014 |
*Known as Australian Championships before 1969
The 30-year-old Nadal has already won his 10th Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, his 10th Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and his fifth Mutua Madrid Open during the past two months. With his win on Monday, he improves to 18-1 during this year's clay-court swing and 73-2 lifetime at Roland Garros.
Nadal's clay-court losses by season, *also won Roland Garros
|
2002 |
1 |
2010* |
0 |
|
2003 |
6 |
2011* |
2 |
|
2004 |
3 |
2012* |
1 |
|
2005* |
2 |
2013* |
2 |
|
2006* |
0 |
2014* |
3 |
|
2007* |
1 |
2015 |
6 |
|
2008* |
1 |
2016 |
4 |
|
2009 |
2 |
2017 |
1 |
The Mallorca native broke Paire eight times and was challenged by the World No. 45 only in the second set, when Paire twice broke Nadal and led 3-1. But Nadal marched back into the set, breaking in the fifth game, then at 3-4, he erased two break points and held during a nine-point game to level the second-set scoreline at 4-4.
The Spaniard then broke Paire to love, striking a forehand return service winner to lead 5-4. He'd hold to 15 for a two-sets-to-zero lead.
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“Every time I play against Rafa, the games are not good. The only times when I can sort of identify the ball, I just see it and I'm just trying to put it back onto the court,” said Paire, who fell to 0-3 against Nadal in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. “He's exceptional. He moves really fast. He hits really hard.”
No suprise @rafaelnadal is right at home on clay. Match point is worth a #RG17 pic.twitter.com/Kp2DaODuX8
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2017
The fourth-seeded Nadal will next face Dutchman Robin Haase. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-0.
“I know him very well and he knows me very well. He's a dangerous opponent. He hits the ball very hard. So I need to be very focused on the serve because returning him can be tough,” Nadal said. “I'll do my utmost, which is always what I do when I practise, when I play a match. I put out my best tennis... I'm not particularly obsessed about anything in particular, except that I have to play my best tennis. Then we'll see what's going to happen.”
Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com.