Wimbledon R1 preview and pick: Nadal vs. Bellucci

June 29, 2015 Ricky Match previews 197

NadalUSO2Rafael Nadal will begin his quest for a third Wimbledon title when he takes the court on Tuesday against Thomaz Bellucci. Hasan Murad previews the first-round showdown.

Rafael Nadal is definitely in uncharted territory as he enters this year’s Championships as the No.10 seed, his lowest seeding in a Grand Slam since the 2005 Australian Open. While the 14-time Grand Slam champion is facing unfamiliarity with the current situation, there will be no secrets harbored by his 42nd-ranked opponent, Thomaz Bellucci.

The two lefties have played four times in the past and Nadal has dominated all four meetings without dropping a set. This will be their second battle on the verdant lawns of Wimbledon (Nadal won 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-3 in their first-round clash in 2012) and the dynamics are still heavily-weighted in favor of the Spaniard.

After reaching his fifth Wimbledon final in 2011, Nadal has managed to win only four matches over the past three years at this event. One the bright side, though, the former world No. 1 captured a title on grass as part of his preparation for the upcoming fortnight. He had not accomplished that feat since 2008, when he went on to lift the trophy for the first time at the All-England Club. Nadal was quick to shrug off his quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic at the French Open and played well to triumph in Stuttgart by beating Victor Troicki 7-6(3), 6-3 in the final.

Conversely, Bellucci’s attempt to fine-tune his grass-court game for Wimbledon took an early blow when he lost to Alexander Zverev 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-4 in the Nottingham first round last week. The Brazilian’s career record at Wimbledon stands at a modest 3-4. However, considering Nadal’s struggles throughout the season so far, Bellucci might view this encounter as a golden opportunity to pull off the biggest win of his career and advance to the second round.

Historically, Nadal is susceptible to losing early at Wimbledon but he is a heavy to favorite to win this contest. It will primarily be a baseline duel and the two-time champion can be expected out-hit his opponent with ruthless aggression.

Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 8-10 games

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197 Comments on Wimbledon R1 preview and pick: Nadal vs. Bellucci

  1. Well, we’ll see,no?
    ‘It will primarily be a baseline duel and the two-time champion can be expected out-hit his opponent with ruthless aggression.’
    …don’t know if that last line sounds good or bad

    Reply

    • thanks hawkeye 🙂

      Yes , totally agreed. Rafa will definitely try to work his way up the net when he gets comfortable.

      @shireling,

      aggression from the baseline is the foundation of rafa’s game. He needs to have that working for him . We will start seeing more variation in his game (net approaches, drop shots) as he gets more comfortable. The most important aspect for him is to step up the court and dictate play with his ground strokes!

      Reply

      • vamosrafa,

        Great write up as usual! Nice to see you doing the match previews!

        What about the “verdant” lawns of Wimbledon? Ooh, good one! 🙂

        I hope that the match plays out as you say it will.

        Reply

  4. Focus on the last half of that last line –

    “It will primarily be a baseline duel and the two-time champion can be expected out-hit his opponent with ruthless aggression.”

    I agree with this. The essence of Rafa’s game is baseline. But the key here on grass is for him to be aggressive and get good court positioning moving into the court. He doesn’t want to be staying too far behind the baseline. I also hope that Rafa’s ROS will be more aggressive as we have seen in the past on grass.

    Reply

    • Yup! He needs to have that return of serve going. Bellucci will also try to attack with his forehand so let’s see how rafa handles. Great serving and solid returning are sooo important on grass

      Reply

  5. I’m sorry Ricky if my comment -June 29, 2015 at 2:59 am – seems despective, didn’t mean it like that, we have no right to complain about you here. It’s just I’ve read so much crap in the media about Nadal these days that I don’t know how to objectively distinguish between neutral sport journalism or outright aversion any more.

    Reply

  15. The people on CC have drawn the short straw. They are frantically doing deals now to exchange their tickets for #1 court to see their favourite player.

    Reply

  16. ^^^
    Deals are impossible to get though, because no one with a prized court #1 ticket will be swapping their premium ticket for anything else.

    Reply

  17. Rafa please do not attempt to break my heart again…

    BTW…nice preview vr…if only matches were won on the basis of Rafan preview…hmm, this sounds familiar…I read similar line somewhere… 🙂

    Vamos Rafa!

    Reply

  22. Awesome backhands to break! he used the slice well to draw an attack-able shot and then BOOM backhand DTL winner…. he is hitting the forehand very cautiously though

    Reply

  25. I am up watching Rafa! He is looking good! Up a double break. I have seen a couple of great backhand passing shots.

    The problem is that in the early rounds ESPN jumps around all over the place.

    Reply

      • Nothing new… this year… are not the words we want to hear.

        We want to see an entire tournament at level 500 or above with no single really-off day, no day of far below the standard of other years. That is the ‘new’ we want to see from Rafa. I have no idea how long it will be before this happens. It would be wonderful if that were the case this fortnight. I chose that ‘w’ word carefully.

        Reply

  33. it was a below-par performance by rafa but it was his first set of the tournament so waiting for him to play the next two sets… hoping for improvements

    Reply

  36. The effect poor results and confidence issues have had on rafa’s forehand is inexplicable. His backhand has not been affected as much and is a lot steadier. This is quite strange as the forehand has been such a natural shot for him in his career.

    Reply

    • his forehand is like a three legged dog! but maybe the fact that his backhand is the flatter shot helps him on grass somewhat……
      nontheless his bread and butter shot, the forehand, is now like a famine shot….
      his passing shots don’t look that natural either….

      Reply

    • amy, it is not about the effect . Before having an effect, your shot needs to clear the net and land inside the court. Rafa’s forehand has consistently failed to meet this basic criteria! He is giving his forehand a lot of air on his forehands even on grass and still not find the right areas consistently. Wreaking havoc with his forehand is natural for him but these days he cannot even land them in consistently!

      He was hittting it better in Stuttgart though! So hoping it will become steadier as he gets rid of nerves… he always is extra nervous in the opening round

      Reply

  38. Rafa regularly getting rapturous applause from the crowd. Bet they can’t believe their luck getting to see this match………….

    Reply

  39. Rafa seems to start slowly these days. I always cross my fingers that he holds in his 1st service game after that he seems to settle down.

    Reply

  40. People sometimes make the mistake of saying topspin does not work on grass and that rafa should not use it on grass etc etc… well, it is not as effective as it is on clay but it is very effective on grass IF used in the right balance with flatter forehands. Viciously spun balls react violently on grass and the bounce is unpredictable (unlike on hard courts). However , it is essential to strike the right balance. Open up the angles and create spaces via topspin and then go for more penetration.

    Rafa really has mastered the art of striking this balance over the years but this year, his forehand is not even meeting the basic criterion!SO SHAKY.

    Reply

  41. So assuming Rafa gets through this one, he has to face Brown next. Bellucci has helped Rafa out with errors here and there.

    I am concerned about Rafa’s forehand.

    Reply

    • spot on! bellucci’s help in the form of errors has been timely too. He has not put too much pressure on rafa… Brown will put him out of his comfort zone a lot more…

      Sigh…So he will get a serve bot again… he overcame Rosol last year so I hope he overcomes brown too….I think he will..

      Reply

  42. There you go! vintage run-around inside-in forehand winner! A rare sight these days…

    Another good point! Come on rafa, keep improving..

    Reply

  47. First serves in % is too low. Also first serves won too low.

    Rafa is going to have to step it up for Brown. Bellucci has really helped Rafa quite a bit with some errors in critical points of the match. He has not really challenged Rafa at all.

    Reply

  48. JMac and Chris Fowler have been discussing Rafa’s forehand troubles. I think at this point he’s actually hitting his backhand more consistently than the forehand.

    Reply

  51. The BBC went over to the Heather Watson match so ended up watching Federer swat the hapless Dzumhar out of the way like a pesky fly to endless drooling from the commies.

    Reply

  56. So Rafa got the won. Now on to the next match!

    JMac gave Rafa a “B” for this match. I think that’s fair. Bellucci just wasn’t capable of challenging Rafa. I did think that Rafa was hitting his forehand better late in the third set.

    Nice response from the crowd after Rafa won.

    Reply

  58. this was a nice win…however, Bellucci failed to make it more competitive…Rafa will have much tougher job against Brown…

    Ok now…Rafa please go back and practice serving…you will need it…those numerous double faults should not be repeated…ever…

    Vamos Rafa!

    Reply

  59. Yes, I was surprised to see Rafa double faulting so much in this first match. JMac said in his assessment of Rafa’s performance, that he needs to work on the serve.

    Brown is definitely going to make for a more competitive opponent.

    Rafa should hit the practice courts!

    Reply

    • Brilliant. Thanks. Sue Barker was saying how you could follow on-line yesterday but I could’t fathom out how you did it.

      All the sites are getting more and more difficult to navigate – the worse being the ATP.
      Maybe it’s just me.

      #YouCantTeachAnOldDogNewTricks 😉

      Reply

          • have never seen the crowd at wimby quite so behind rafa in an early round match. they really really want him to win and are virtually communicating their nerves if he makes mistakes….
            hoping that this huge support may see him through the next round difficult match…

          • any fans of rafa enough to buy tickets is aware of the year rafa is having,

            gosh, now I am writing yet another ‘down’ email, sorry but there it is

          • I’ll try to say this again, nadline: I think you’ve got us quite wrongly.

            I do not cherish at all seeing rafa have such a hard year, all the difficulties, the off days etc, none of it. There is no relish in it for me. I wish he was doing as well with the challenges of the circuit as he did in most of his years. There is no ‘enjoy’ here, no ‘living for’. I simply write some things about rafa’s current state and current year being as realistic as I can.

            In this I probably speak for a few other people here. A few others that might appear to you as relishing this etc. but do not. Whenever we write anything of this kind it seems to make you believe we are anti-rafa or just negative people or enjoy it. None of that is the case even if it might seem that way to you, gussie and mary (going by your posts).

            Some times it seems surprising to me that this is not all utterly clear. But I think that simply speaks for how deep your feelings for rafa go. It speaks to that, nothing else.

            Pax.

          • nadline, it was directed at hawkeye, right? that was clear. I wrote things that I truly believe speak for him and several others, very straightforward things.

            Did they make sense to you? Would you perhaps believe that they may be true for me and some others? And I hope you see things are not any kind of criticism, just trying to clarify where many of my posts about rafa (and those of others) come from …. that you seem to take the wrong way. Is all.

          • Only hawkeye goes out of his way to be nasty about Rafa. He refutes anything said in Rafa’s favour and endeavours to prove that he has nothing going for him.

          • Only nadline10 and augusta08 go out of their way to be nasty about other posters (e.g., “You live for your Rafa put downs don’t you? Enjoy.”).

            They endeavour to prove that some posters have nothing going for them.

            “He refutes anything said in Rafa’s favour”

            Nadline BS meter: No. I said if he gets to the 3rd round, he will win the 3rd round. If he beats Muzza, he will reach tie final.

            But you only deal in absolutes and only see what fits into your world.

            Nothing going for him, right. Even though I’ve called him the most successful tennis player and greatest player of all time.

            Whatevs nadline. Your posts are hilarious!!! Keep ’em coming.

            Look Boss!!! Da plane!!! Da Plane!!!!!

          • nadline10 says:
            “Look hawkeye, you seem to get your kicks out of denigrating Rafa. The good thing is Rafa doesn’t know or care what you think, but if it makes you feel good, then go for it. It’s free fun for you and it probably makes you sleep better at night .”

            Only nadline10 goes out of her way to be nasty about other posters. She endeavours to prove that some posters have nothing going for them.

            Tooooo funny.

          • Look hawkeye, you seem to get your kicks out of denigrating Rafa. The good thing is Rafa doesn’t know or care what you think, but if it makes you feel good, then go for it. It’s free fun for you and it probably makes you sleep better at night .

          • This is the very perception … of yours, nadline… that I wrote about. Not because hawkeye needs me to write on his behalf, of course not. Simply because for a long time the posts here go round and round due to this misunderstanding. If posters here say anything not rose-glasses-colored about our mutual favorite player then it is taken as a put down.

          • No I don’t.

            His forehand simply was subpar today.

            But you definitely enjoy putting down any poster that dares to disagree with your verison of Rafa.

            You recently said that you have to learn to live in a world about Rafa. That is a more condemning statement on Rafa’s potential to get his game back than anything I’ve ever said.

            Hilarious @potline10

          • This site is acting up. All replies are appearing at the bottom of the thread.

            Agassi IMO. Hugely popular. Borg was up there too but not universally the way Agassi was loved.

      • chloro says:
        June 30, 2015 at 7:39 pm,
        —it might seem that way to you, gussie…—
        =============================================

        I am wondering what’s wrong with YOU that YOU are always “misunderstood” ?!

        Reply

      • June 30, 2015 at 8:27 pm
        —Only nadline10 and augusta08 go out of their way to be nasty about other posters—
        =======================
        .
        That’s only YOUR main business on this site!

        Reply

      • chloro says:
        June 30, 2015 at 7:52 pm,
        —Not because hawkeye needs me to write on his behalf.—
        ==========================
        .
        Sometimes I have had a feeling that you are the same person, you have been trolling together.

        Reply

  63. Murray is acting like a prima donna thinking it’s an affront for his opponent to break him, firing 4 letter words at the change over. There was still no action taken by the umpire.

    Reply

    • did you hear one of the british commies going on and on about rafa’s slowness??
      double standards rule ok, no??
      ok for kygrios to swear and issue disgusting insults……so much for fair play…..

      Reply

  65. Bodo writing that Rafa’s forehand was in ‘lethal’ form this match. what is that guy on?
    have the fumes from his own mad writing finally addled his brain….?!

    Reply

      • yeah could be….!!
        rafa’s forehand is about as lethal as a popgun at the moment….no way can he pull the trigger when he really needs to…..

        Reply

    • No, Bodo is not on anything. OK, not all of his F/Hs were successful but that’s not to write the rest of them off. Rafa looked better than Nole and Andy. Neither of them had a walk in the park.

      Reply

      • Bellucci is not Kohlschrieber nor Kukushkin (the latter of which took a set off an admittedly healthy Rafa at Wimby last year and the former who knocked Rafa out of Halle in straight sets in 2012).

        Reply

    • Bodo has never been a fan of Rafa. I stopped reading his blogs a long time ago, but sometimes people here post links to them. But I really try not to read him at all. He has never gotten Rafa, never has, never will.

      Reply

  67. I looked at the score and came here hoping to read some positive comments. However all I read is load of negativity about his sub standard play. Not blaming you guys, just saying.

    I did not see the match, hence cant comment.

    Rafa beat Bellucci in 2012 and then lost to Rosol in 5 in 2012..just saying :-)..

    Reply

    • ha ha sanju..thanks for reminding us of that one…as if we needed anything else to make us nervous…!
      PS sorry exaggerating a bit because i was taking the piss out of Bodo and his mad pronouncements…..!

      Reply

    • Sanju,

      This coming from the person who was always trashed for being so pessimistic? Watch the match and then come here to give your thoughts.

      Rafa played decent, not great but he didn’t have to against Bellucci. He needs to work on his serve and he even said that in his post-match interview. He got the win, but will have to play better against Brown. I have already said that I believe in a best of five format that Brown cannot hang with Rafa.

      Reply

  68. Amy, don’t worry, Brown wil have to do it in 5 and I dont see his skinny legs getting him that far!!! Browm might make some noise, no doubt, but thats all it will be, noise!

    Reply

    • ha ha Mona..thanks for your reassurance! i so needed that….
      hope his skinny legs snap…(not seriously…just a metaphorical snap for 2/3 hours)

      Reply

  69. They can’t get away from Rafa; even Murray is citing Kukushkin taking a set off Rafa last year as justification for his tough match against him. Every Rafa loss is tattooed on their brain. Rafa must be the most talked about and iconic player of all time.

    Reply

  70. Why don’t these people give up. Now on discussing Hasse, Murray’s next opponent, his credentials are taking Rafa to 5 sets in 2010. One minute they are writing Rafa off the next minute they are using him as their yardstick.

    Reply

  71. nadline10 says:
    “Look hawkeye, you seem to get your kicks out of denigrating Rafa. The good thing is Rafa doesn’t know or care what you think, but if it makes you feel good, then go for it. It’s free fun for you and it probably makes you sleep better at night .”

    Only nadline10 goes out of her way to be nasty about other posters. She endeavours to prove that some posters have nothing going for them.

    Too funny.

    Reply

  72. nadline10 says:
    “Look hawkeye, you seem to get your kicks out of denigrating Rafa. The good thing is Rafa doesn’t know or care what you think, but if it makes you feel good, then go for it. It’s free fun for you and it probably makes you sleep better at night .”

    Only nadline10 goes out of her way to be nasty about other posters. She endeavours to prove that some posters have nothing going for them.

    Too funny!

    Reply

    • extraordinary comment no?? don’t know what bodo is smoking, as i mentioned above maybe the fumes from his own mad prose have been his undoing…..

      Reply

    • vr, just replied to you but will come through as anon….! as forgot to put in details..
      is rafa going to beat brown? i am feeling very nervous about that match…the crowd is hugely pro-rafa this year so hope that will pull him through…

      Reply

    • I don’t know why anyone would quote or read Bodo. He’s worthless. Tignor is better when it comes to understanding Rafa, but I haven’t read him in a while either. I am trying to stay away from online blogs about Rafa. I want to stay in my little cocoon and just keep focused on Rafa one match at a time!

      Reply

  74. Had a busy day today and only now checked the score, so glad our boy won…He will beat Brown, I’ve no doubt. Vamos!

    Reply

  75. Murray, Nadal and Federer unfazed by rising Wimbledon temperature

    Murray said: “I don’t really want to get into that. Because the points are much quicker [at Wimbledon], you don’t feel it as much.

    Nadal found it “difficult to think about a better day to play tennis at Wimbledon” and Federer, cool as ever, looked like the heat wouldn’t even make him break sweat.

    “In Australia, we’ve had some moments. But here, in Europe, seriously, on clay, grass, problems never come,” Federer said. “[When] we have concrete underneath, on the side of you, the sun beating down, it gets rough.

    “That’s why the Australian Open has almost done the rule, I want to say more for the fans I feel like almost, and the officials and the ballboys and the linesmen and spectators rather than us.

    “We can play through these kind of conditions because we’re used to it.”

    http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/story/_/id/13176190/murray-nadal-federer-dismiss-notion-men-heat-rule-wimbledon

    Reply

  76. Rafa says:

    “Good backhands and the forehand always is ok and the forehand needs to be a little more aggressive for the next (round).”

    Preach it Rafa.

    #RealWorld

    Reply

    • Yes, that was Rafa’s assessment of his game in his first match. I said during the match that I thought he was hitting his backhand more consistently than his forehand and vamosrafa agreed.

      Rafa knows what he has to do and that’s a good thing!

      Reply

  80. Say it loud, say it clear, Rafa’s forehand WAS lethal even though he missed one or two.

    You get that F/H working 100% Rafa and everyone will sit up and know you mean business.

    #be consistent
    #be brave
    #Vamos

    Reply

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