Once it starts, it comes quickly, that Rafael Nadal tsunami of momentum and forehands. For 57 minutes, the 10-time champion's efforts to race through the opening set at Roland Garros were stymied again and again by Guido Pella. The Argentine saved six break points in the opener. But Nadal, on his fifth set point, broke through and the games flowed from there as the Spaniard coasted to a 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 win on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. “I'm happy about the things that happened this afternoon, of course. I played a solid match, and it's true that during the match I improved the level. The forehand, especially after the first set, I think it starts to go quicker and find more of...
Watch highlights as 10-time champion Rafael Nadal works his way past Simone Bolelli in a two-day clash at Roland Garros. Video courtesy of Roland Garros. Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP World Tour.
Carlos Moya, coach of world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, will be breaking down Rafa's performances for ATPWorldTour.com. Nadal hopes to lift the trophy for the 11th time. On Tuesday, the defending champion defeated Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(9) to advance to the second round, where he'll face Guido Pella for a place in the Round of 32. Moya lists five key takeaways from Nadal’s opening-round match. A Victory -- With Its Ups And Downs Today's match wasn't the prettiest, but he still managed to win. Getting through the early rounds at a Grand Slam is an ordeal. Yes, he came through in three sets, but the match was a lot tougher than the score suggests [Nadal trailed 6/3 in the...
Rafael Nadal was tested more than he would have preferred, but the Spaniard returned to Court Philippe-Chatrier victorious on Tuesday at Roland Garros. The 10-time champion's first-round match against Simone Bolelli of Italy was suspended by rain at 6-4, 6-3, 0-3 late Monday evening. But Nadal, a champion in 2005-08, 2010-14 and '17, seized momentum from the start and saved four set points in the third-set tie-break to advance to the second round 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(9). “He was a very aggressive player, and he was playing very strong. I didn't know that he was going to play so aggressively. I understood that I really had to attack, and I had to have the proper mindset, be positive, and accept how...
There are three things that are virtually guaranteed on any given day at Roland Garros: the sun will rise, the sun will set, and Rafael Nadal will win. But the 10-time champion was in a battle in the opening round on the terre battue Monday. Play was suspended due to rain with Nadal leading lucky loser Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 0-3, as the Spaniard attempts to extend his best-of-five-set clay-court record to 105-2. The match will be resumed on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Tuesday. Nadal, who already captured his 11th titles at Monte-Carlo and Barcelona this year, seeks his 11th Coupe des Mousquetaires. That would equal Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam singles trophy record, which she earned at the Australian Open....