Rafael Nadal’s first term in the District of Columbia did not last long–two matches to be exact.
Making his debut appearance at the Citi Open, Nadal lost to Lloyd Harris 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 during third-round action on Thursday night. Harris needed two hours and 10 minutes to secure the biggest win of his career.
Nadal was fortunate just to be in the third round after surviving a scare in his opening match on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Spaniard was still plagued by the foot injury that hobbled him at the French Open, and he also had to deal with an inspired Jack Sock. Although Sock briefly had all of the momentum after taking the second set and leading by a break in the third, Nadal battled back to prevail 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(1) after three hours and four minutes.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion clearly moved better on Thursday. But if his foot was no longer a significant problem, his opponent most definitely was. Harris struck 16 aces, won 76 percent of his first-serve points, and won 55 percent of his second-serve return points.
Nadal seemed to turn the contest completely around when he issued a breadstick in the second set, but Harris was quick to recover in the decider. The 24-year-old South African crucially saved two break points for a 1-0 lead and fought off one more at 2-2. He survived another deuce game at 3-3 before holding easily at 4-4, thus forcing Nadal to serve to stay in the match. The top seed led 30-15 at 4-5 only to see Harris reel off the next three points in succession. A brilliant clinching point saw the world No. 50 produce a forehand lob winner.
“It’s amazing to play a player of his caliber out here,” Harris assured. “And to beat him is a very special moment in my career; probably the best win I’ve ever had. To have it in front of all these fans makes it so much better.”
The fans won’t get to see any more of the biggest name in tournament history, but the fact that there was improvement in Nadal’s physical state bodes well for the rest of the hard-court summer.
“I was ready,” the world No. 3 commented. “The most positive thing is my foot was better today than yesterday, so that’s the best news possible. I played against a player that played well. I played better than yesterday, but in the third set when I had opportunities the truth is his serve was huge and I played the last game really bad.
“So that’s the sport. You can’t have mistakes in the key moments, and in the key moments I think in the last game I was a little bit more nervous. My serve was not working the proper way. And that’s it. Well done for him. It’s a great victory for him.
“The most painful thing is not to be able to be on court tomorrow in front of this amazing crowd.”
nice one, Lloyd
I think it was obvious Nadal was humbled by the defeat at RG. He was riding a wave of confidence at that event that lasted a decade and a half. It was his backyard, an event that truly defined him as a player.
It will take a lot of mental fortitude to return anywhere near the way he was after that defeat.
We’ve seen it before with other players like Wawrinka; they never really recovered after a heavy loss.
You achieve positive career milestones but also negative ones that represent you have already reached your peak.
It will be interesting to see if he can win another one.
he was before that defeat.
Hey, let’s admit it…Harris played great….and came up withe big serves, and big shots, when he needed them.
Sounds like it; I didn’t actually watch the match. Saw the Sock match though.
A lot of these players tend to raise their game when they know their opponent is vulnerable which is a sad reality. Happens in all sports, actually. If only they could do it when their opponent is at the top of their game.
Oh please give me a break! Rafa was nowhere near his best. He admitted he played a bad game at the end. He is rusty and not mentally or physically in firm. I think the loss at RG was very damaging to him. But he has endured tough losses before. It won’t do him in. You don’t stay in this sport for long if you can’t take tough losses.
It is so annoying when Rafa haters come here and blab about how great some nobody played against him.
Not in FORM !
@NNY,
Don’t let the losers here upset you, dear. Last night’s loss was barely a blip on Rafa’s radar. The tournament loved him, the fans adored him, he had a great time in DC and he got in some good practice. He’ll get in some more work in Canada – and Cincy, should he lose early in Canada and we’ll get to see him at the USO. Dunno if he’ll be in shape to win it this year, but he’ll get through several rounds, anyway.
Ramara,
I agree with you! The love from the crowd was just so wonderful to see. Rafa talked about the crowd after his matches. I am just so happy that he felt the love. They held up signs saying we love you Rafa. He loved seeing the city. He did get some good practice. He also said that the best news was that his foot was okay in his second match.
I have my hopes up for the USO. I think Rafa wants it, too. I hope he can get it together. But to see the connection he had with that crowd in DC, was a thing of beauty. They gave him a standing ovation after he beat Sock. It made me cry.
Thanks for reminding me of all the good things that came out of it.
It’s a pleasure to talk with someone who posts under a real name and hides like a coward.
And does NOT hide like a coward!
Righteous indignation as usual from the Rafa fans. Whats wrong with congratulating ‘nobody’ Harris ? even Ricky did it.
‘Oh please give me a break? ‘ Likewise , you say that every other post.
Get lost! Who are you to tell anyone here what to say or not to say! What gall!
But then what would I expect from someone who hides behind Anonymous! Coward!
Nny, I saw Rafa lost online and came here to read your take on it.Also good to
read Ramara’s.
Remember that Anonymous thinks mass murder is an appropriate response to comments on a tennis site!!!
He is obsessed with posting that Rafa is in decline/ useless now. If Rafa
wins he disappears. By the same token, endless excuses are made when Tsitsi, Zverev, Rublev &tc lose and play badly even though they should be at the height of their physical powers.
He has a bit of a screw loose imo.
This is my way of saying that he should be ignored! It’s a waste of energy to engage with him and his prejudices and ugly biases.
amy,
So good to see you here! I have made it a point to ignore this troll as much as possible. Margot pointed out that there seem to be two people posting as anonymous here. One if them is a hater, instigator and troll. We were trying to figure out if it’s the same person,
If you want my thoughts about Rafa, he looks physically and mentally out of form right now. We now know that he had a foot injury that caused him to drop out of Wimbledon, he couldn’t even pick up a racket for 20 days. He looks very rusty. Sock managed to produce some decent tennis and Rafa had to battle his foot and Sock for three hours.
Rafa was competing but he still has these mental blips. That’s how he lost the second set. Then he had to play this nobody Harris next. The guy has a big serve and Rafa said afterward that it gave him trouble. The foot was good and did not give him a problem. But it’s best that he lost and can get ready for Toronto.
I know he wants to be ready for the USO. He needs some more match play.
Nny, thanks for that dear!
I was very very upset and worried about Rafa’s mental state at RG. I find it hard to see him suddenly getting clear of his issues with nerves.
During the match with Nole I did notice that he seemed to be anxiously looking for pain killers and seemed to be having some real issue with pain and mobility. Afterwards,he said he was fine but that clearly wasn’t the case. We know that the foot, back and knee issue is interconnected so God knows what is going on.
Rafa has been struggling with confidence since last year and I haven’t seen him so bothered by nerves since 2015. It’s not as bad as then but still very debilitating and I wish he would use a sports psychologist like just about everyone else! The one thing I am critical of in relation to Rafa is this. He wasted so much time in 2015 letting the nerves control him. I find it very frustrating that he won’t get outside help. He could have won RG this year ( assuming the foot problem wouldn’t have taken him out as I suspect it would). His actual.underlying tennis level was definitely good enough to win.
PS just ignore the anon who trolls us…!
Harris somehow reminds me of a bird of prey – so well done, Harris Hawk 😉
amy,
I was trying to think back and remember if I saw anything that would indicate an injury. I do recall that his movement was not great. Also we know that if there is any kind of injury then it can affect his mental concentration.
I think that losing RG only made his confidence issues worse. I agree that he wasted precious time in 2015 when he would not get outside help. Rafa does not seem to want a sports psychologist. I don’t think it’s 2015 all over again. Rafa is competing and is mentally able to come back to win at times. But he does have these lapses in sets where he just seems to go away and then gets broken.
I think the stopping and starting with the pandemic has not helped either. I think he could have won RG this year. That would have given him a big boost of confidence. He has not won anything this year.
I will do my best to ignore this idiot troll. But I think there is a reason this troll is posting as anonymous. A convenient way to hide,
If you’re referring to me, the one that’s not pretending to be anonymous; I actually just can’t be bothered typing in a name each time I post. I’m all about efficiency.
You don’t have to do that. Your reason for remaining “anonymous” sounds fishy to me.
Why would it sound fishy when there’s nothing fishy about my posts. I’m just discussing the tennis objectively like you’d expect.
A few of you have go your bee in your bonnet from the fake anonymous…or was that just the bait so you could target me which is an attempt to deceive your audience.
Are you suggesting I should register so the name automatically fills?
Good to see Nishikori playing well again,and also Sinner.Two of my favourites and JB is fast becoming another.
It looks that FO SF hurt Rafa more than him and his rabid fans want to admit, he even struggled against meat pie belly Jack Sock ranked #192!
I watched that match, that wasn’t anything like Rafa, Jack should have won that match, it also looks like Rafa, slowly but surely, is sliding out of top 4, hard to get back unless he wins USO which he is capable of, though I think favourite for USO is Zverev, followed by Medvedev…ahh, those Russians😉