Rafael Nadal actually lost a set at the French Open on Friday. Roger Federer came close to doing the same.
Once cruising against David Goffin, Nadal ran into a sudden mid-match roadblock but quickly recovered to prevail 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 49 minutes. The 11-time champion restored order following his third-set hiccup–during which Goffin caught fire–by breaking serve right away in the fourth for a 2-0 lead.
Nadal, who had previously trounced qualifiers Yannick Hanfmann and Yannick Maden, held serve the rest of the way to book a fourth-round encounter with another much less heralded opponent than Goffin in Juan Igancio Londero.
“David is a great player; that’s all,” Nadal said of the third set. “I played against a top player that had injuries, and he’s a little bit lower in the ranking now, but when he’s playing well he’s a player that already showed to everybody that he can win against every player in this world.
“Nothing especially happened (in the third set). Happened that in the first set I played unbelievable, I think; so, so good. Then a good second set, too.”
Federer played a flawless first two sets, as well, against Casper Ruud–surrendering a total of four games. The Norwegian fought back in the third, leading by a break early and eventually playing his way into a tiebreaker. Ruud erased a 6-4 deficit in the ‘breaker before succumbing 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(8).
“I enjoyed the match,” said Federer, who during one stretch reeled off nine consecutive games. “I thought it was tough, even though I had a good run there for a while. And that also is very important for me to know, as well, that I can run through a set and a half and just take care of business and gives me confidence for the next match.”
That next one will come against Leonardo Mayer, a 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4, 7-6(3) winner over Nicolas Mahut.
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prob good for Nadal to have somewhat of a test before the quarters
Exactly what i thought!But i was still angry bcos he keeps going walk abouts
Good to see Goffin starting to come back from injury. It’s like Nadal said: when he’s on, he’s a threat against anyone. Also good for Fed to get through Ruud in 3. Mayer has been playing pretty well and should be tougher.
So RG has decided to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Soderling’s win over Nadal at RG. Next year will they celebrate Soderling’s defeat of Federer to reach the final? Anyone want to bet? (FYI The Sod has said he’s prouder of that match than the one he won vs Nadal).
Shall we send the ATP a tweet to remind them to commemorate Sod’s win over Fedr in the 2010 SF? 😉 Last year they failed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Rafa’s trouncing of Fedr in the RG 2008 FINAL.
Federer probably wasn’t that bothered to lose to Sod in that match, after such a win the year before. Maybe even lost deliberately to avoid playing Rafa ?
Oh absolutely. I’m surprised Federer played ANY RG finals after taking a beating in the semi from 19 year old Rafa in 2005. He’s totally been quaking in his sneakers ever since. If not, the drubbing he took in 2008 scarred him to the point he nearly lost to Tommy Haas in 2009, unable to bear the thought of an RG final even without Rafa there. Fortunately he accidentally won that match and went on to win his only RG. Once again in 2011 he regained his confidence and took the Djoker to the cleaners in the semi, possibly because revenge for his loss to Djoker in the USO 2010 semi overcame his fear of the waiting Bull. All for nought, alas for him. He hasn’t made an RG final since and for the last three years had not gone near the place. Fear is a terrible thing! But, really, when you get so old that death is imminent, you fear things much less. So we’ll see if the old fears seep back in as confrontation with Rafa looms ever closer.
(For anyone lacking a sarcasm detector, I do NOT believe that any ATP tour player is afraid to play any other player. These guys are born to compete. It’s what they do. They also lose a lot. It’s what they do. They learn to deal with it or they get the hell out of tennis.)
A touch of sarcasm in my post also.But I have read that on here more than once,Fed losing to avoid playing Rafa and not always at RG
Fedr probably pulled out of Rome to avoid Rafa.
Yeah it is an honor that RAfas losses at RG are given so much importance. Fed’s losses at wimbledon or novaks losses at the australin opne are not nearly put on the pedestal as our Rafitos😃
That is GOATness for you when the anniversaries of your losses are celebrated and Soderling who has made two grand slam finals still has his claim to fame as his win against a hobbled Rafa😅
Poor berdych or Tsonga who did their bit in defeating roger at wimbledon barely will get an anniversary🤣
Lol!
It’s becoming one of those events like England winning the World Cup in 1966, beating Germany in the final. The have been celebrating it ever since because it’s so rare. Everyone remembers where they were on 8th June 2009. 😉
The commies were driving me insane going on about it ALL the time yesterday.Definitely increased my nerves!!
Thank the lord for Freddy the kind and generous fedfan! There are a few Fed fans here who could take a leaf out of his book….😉😉
I didn’t realise this was the match that he lost to Soderling. Good thing i didn’t bcos it would have really added to my nerves after the 3rd set. But while watching the match the crowd was beginning to think that was another practice session, Rafa was sooo brutal, lol!! But i enjoyed it very much!!!
Nothing at RG yesterday gave the impression they were celebrating Rafa’s loss, funny!
Hi Mona!!! Hope you are having a great time!!☺☺
Tell Rafa we love him!!💘
Still haven’t seen you blowing kisses!!💋💋
Hi Amy!
Access to the players is extremely difficult at RG. They don’t allow you to get near them for autographs or anything much unlike the US Open. Sigh!!!!
Amy,You might be surprised to hear I often cheer for Nadal,it’s called reverse jinxing😉😂
Hi Amy!
Access to the players is extremely difficult at RG. They don’t allow you to get near them for autographs or anything much unlike the US Open. Sigh!!!!
Hold the front page, Nadal drops a set! 😉 They even commemorated the 10th anniversary of Sod’s win over Rafa at RG in 2009 yesterday. That’s become the 8th wonder of the world! 😉