Friends will become foes in two different third-round matches at Roland Garros on Saturday. Rafael Nadal is continuing his campaign against fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers, while Dominic Thiem is facing Alexander Zverev.
(4) Rafael Nadal vs. Marcel Granollers
Neither Nadal nor Granollers has dropped a single set or even been pushed to a tiebreaker as the two Spaniards head into third-round action at the French Open on Saturday. They know a thing or two about those kinds of scorelines in their own head-to-head history, too. Nadal is a perfect 4-0 lifetime against his countryman and has won all eight of their total sets without requiring a single tiebreaker. Their first clay-court encounter came four years ago in Rome, where the former world No. 1 dominated 6-1, 6-1. Another battle on the red stuff was just recently waged last month in Barcelona, where Nadal cruised 6-3, 6-2.
When the draw for this Grand Slam was unveiled, Nadal was on course for a showdown in the last 32 against none other than Fabio Fognini. But those designs evaporated in a hurry, as Granollers took care of the Italian 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 in round one. The world No. 56 then coasted to a two-set lead at the expense of Nicolas Mahut on Thursday before the Frenchman retired with a knee injury. Nadal has advanced with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 rout of Sam Groth that preceded a 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Facundo Bagnis. The nine-time Roland Garros champion and recent Monte-Carlo winner does not look susceptible to major upsets right now, whereas he did throughout 2015 and earlier this season. Granollers knows he has very little chance in this one–a sentiment that will only enhance the beatdown.
Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 8-10 games
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Alexander Zverev vs. (13) Dominic Thiem
Thiem and Zverev will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the third time in the last four weeks when they meet again on Saturday. This emerging rivalry is one that is becoming commonplace and one that will be expected to remain that way for the next decade. For now, though, Thiem is sweeping the series even though both of their contests have been competitive. The 22-year-old Austrian prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the Munich semifinals before triumphing 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 in the Nice title match.
As the scoreline suggests, a worn-out Zverev ran out of gas in his latest effort against Thiem. The 19-year-old German has played 36 matches this season (with a 23-13 record), but a few days off in between Nice and the French Open have appeared to offer a revival. So far this fortnight Zverev has earned four-set wins over Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Stephane Robert. The world No. 41’s heavy workload, however, pales in comparison to that of Thiem–who has more wins (38) than Zverev’s total number of matches. In fact, Thiem is second on tour in that category this season behind only Novak Djokovic. The world No. 15 added to his count earlier this week by disposing of Spaniards Inigo Cervantes and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, surrendering just his opening set to Cervantes along the way. Grand Slam experience and the clay-court surface favor Thiem, who should be able to once again get the best of Zverev in a high-quality affair.
Pick: Thiem in 4
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I expect Rafa to win in straight sets, losing 8-10 games.
I like Thiem for the win against Zverev. It should be a good one. It could go 4 sets, maybe even 5.
I’d say both Nadal and Thiem in 4
Nadal press conference in 5 minutes
Nadal is withdrawing
Rafa has retired with wrist problems. 🙁
OMG! Just heard the news…I am speechless…
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!
I cannot believe it!
No, no, no!
Oh God!
I feel sick to my stomach. 🙁
sorry. i didn’t see this. i just posted the news on the rafa thread.
fucking hell is all i have to say.
life isn’t fair to rafa with injuries.
Roland Garros ” Rafael Nadal withdraws from Roland-Garros with wrist injury”
https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/736208100273848320
I guess this thing has been bothering him for a while now.
I just am in shock. I cannot wrap my mind around it.
I am heartbroken…how can this be…this is the end…
i’m pretty heartbroken as well…
it’s just so bloody unfair…
Poor Rafa! I hope he can have a speedy recovery with no complication. God bless him!!
Oh my god this is awful. Shit. Rafa retiring from RG? I hate granollers too.?
will be nice to see thiem have a run. he’s a sweet kid.
Yeah he’s in QF now unless granollers or zverev somehow surprise him.
should be in the semis to face nole. i hope so.
am gutted about rafa though. had real chance to win.
Rafa’s press conference.
Stuart Fraser (Sports Journalist):
¤¤ Nadal says he does not need surgery now but could if he kept playing.¤¤
¤¤ Nadal continues in Spanish. Says he could not have injections in his wrist for five more matches. “It’s really inflamed.” ¤¤
¤¤ Nadal says he is going to work hard to be ready for Wimbledon, but it starts a month today and the Olympics follow soon after.¤¤
¤¤ Nadal: “It’s not that serious. Everyone thinks it will take a couple of weeks, a month to improve.¤¤
¤¤ Nadal: “I will not play before I have recovered entirely. There’s no way I can play before I can use the forehand.” ¤¤
Forehand? Didn’t he say his right wrist is injured?
Nope left wrist
yeah, I know now…the commentator got it wrong and reported about issues with the right wrist…I guess he was in shock as well…
My pick is Thiem in four by the way. And I would’ve said Rafa losing 8-10 games in straights. Man this sucks he’s out. He’s such a badass. I wish he was still in. Ha I had him winning the tourney too so my TC racket bracket is done lol.
Thiem in 5
Coric in 5
am watching thiem and zverev. some really lovely play by both. am rooting for thiem to get to the semis.
kygrios is flashy but thiem is the future…
errors by both there. why is thiem not putting anything on his first serve? he can serve with so much more power..
thiem squanders 5/6 break points in one game as per usual. i emphatically take that back about the lovely play – errors everywhere and a master class by both in how not to drop shot. really edgy match.
beginning to wonder about thiem as the future. how can you be at the very top if you are not a predator?? he only has to see a break point to turn into a pussy cat.
zverev takes the first set on a tie break. some horrible play by thiem. i do not want to see much more of these endless feeble backhand slices…
I’ll still take Thiem in 5
He’s the fitter of the two.
Bound to be nerves on both sides.
Don’t forget Amy this is only their second encounter.
both looking too far ahead no? now that the route to the semis is wide open…
thiem takes a break point!!
zverev breaks thiem with his first break point.
he’s the one out there who looks more like the predator.
but yes i agree that thiem is physically stronger and that could determine the outcome.
thiem on song now with errors everywhere from zverev..
second set thiem who looks in control now.
i so miss rafa watching this…i don’t see anyone who will be as great as rafa or fed or nole anywhere…
I checked the score to see that Thiem won in four sets. He’s got an opportunity now since Rafa had to withdraw.
I hope to see it later if it’s replayed. But it’s hard to get excited with Rafa out of RG.
I keep thinking about the moment when I saw him beat Federer in his first SF at Roland Garros. It was his19th birthday and I was hypnotised by the famous butt and the way he prowled to and fro on the service line like a predatory panther. Little did any of guess then he would go on to lift the trophy nine times. I still can’t believe fate has denied him the chance to make history with a tenth win on his beloved Chatrier court.
#So near: so far
That is disgusting ed.
there is no-one out there who has what rafa has. not even close.
we’ve been spoilt by this golden generation with rafa at the head of it. as i said before, there are no players out there to rival rafa, fed, nole IMO. it’s not just the individual players but the great rivalries.