/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/lanacionar/IWYAA6RCJFHGXINOKE36XMX7GA.jpg "Rafael Nadal disembarks at Roland Garros: how he arrives, the record he can achieve and a statue in his honor")
On May 23, 2005, Rafael Nadal played his first match in the main draw of Roland Garros. It was against the German Lars Burgsmüller, then 96th in the ranking, in Court 1, known as the Plaza de Toros for its cylindrical shape (it was demolished a while ago). The Spanish won 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) and 6-1. Since then, He exercised a dominance over the never-seen-before Parisian brick dust for a single tennis player in the same contest, with thirteen trophies. Sixteen years later, the Mallorcan returns to the French Open with a Historical objective: obtain the title and rise as the tennis player with the most Grand Slam trophies, at 21, beating Roger Federer by one.
Nadal, current world number 3, trained on Tuesday at his academy in Manacor with Norwegian Casper Ruud (16th), who last Saturday won the title at the ATP 250 in Geneva. This Thursday, Rafa will travel to Paris together with one of his coaches, former number 1 Carlos Moya, and his inseparable physiotherapist, Rafael Maymó. You will undergo the mandatory PCR upon arrival at the Pullman Tour Eiffel, the hotel located at the foot of the French monument and which will be the accommodation place for the first 70 players in the ranking, for both women and men. Once you have the negative result, you will be “released” to go to the Bois de Boulogne complex.
This same Thursday, in addition, Nadal -and all the players, of course- will know the roadmap at the French Open, as the draw will take place of the main tables. As number 3 of the tour (the Russian Daniil Medvedev is the 2nd) and depending on which side of the painting he is placed, Nadal could have on the horizon a cross with Serbian Novak Djokovic (1st) in the semifinals, which would recreate the last final of the contest, won by the Spanish 6-0, 6-2 and 7-5.
Last April, the Roland Garros authorities presented a statue of the aviator Eugene Adrien Roland Georges Garros which gives its name to the Parisian Grand Slam. The new president of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moretton, and the artist and sculptor Caroline Brisset exhibited the 20-foot steel work, placed in one of the main entrances to the complex. According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, the authorities also they will present a statue that will honor Nadal, who in the tournament holds a record of one hundred wins and two losses (in the 8th finals of 2009 against Robin Söderling and in the quarterfinals of 2015 with Novak Djokovic).
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How does Nadal get to Paris? For now, with two titles in the European tour on brick dust: in Barcelona and in the Masters 1000 in Rome, where he beat Djokovic in the final (7-5, 1-6 and 6-3). Between one and the other, they fell in the Madrid quarterfinals against German Alexander Zverev by a double 6-4, a performance that generated some doubts. However, it is known that in Paris it gets energized.
Francis Roig, Nadal’s other coach, took an X-ray of his pupil before the appointment in Paris: “I think a little more mobility is important. At the level of aerobic capacity he has been very good, holding out in games, but I think we have room for improvement when traveling. It can still be a more dynamic point, both forward and in lateral mobility. And the serve must also be worked on, although it has gotten better and better. In fact, against Djokovic he was already quite good ”.
“Nadal is the favorite in Paris and there is only one who can beat him in my opinion: Novak (Djokovic). I wish they were in the same part of the draw. Nole would play better against him in the semi-finals. And Rafa would be better in the final. It’s psychological “
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Gorok Ivanisevic, Djokovic’s coach, in L’Equipe
Which rival generates more respect for Rafa over brick dust? Roig, in atptour.com, commented: “Djokovic is still the rival, perhaps, who can cause more problems, along with Tsitsipas, Zverev and Thiem. Of course, if Thiem regains the rhythm and confidence that he usually shows on gravel, I would say that I do not see differences between him and Djokovic. Since he won the US Open he has dropped a bit, but I am sure that for Roland Garros he will be at the necessary level and will be a very tough opponent. He is a very complete player, who demands a lot in each rally, if you leave the ball a little short, the point is over. On a physical level it is very demanding ”.
Close to his 35th birthday (on Thursday next week), Nadal will compete in the tournament he dominates like no other with the illusion of continuing to rewrite the history of tennis.
THE NATION
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