Rafael Nadal survived a tough first-round match at Wimbledon and his draw has opened up, too, with Ricardas Berankis being next for the Spaniard on Thursday. Second-round action also continues with a showdown between Maxime Cressy and Jack Sock.
Ricardas Berankis vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
A whole host of dangerous grass-court players have already exited the bottom half of the Wimbledon draw. Matteo Berrettini and Marin Cilic are out because of positive Covid-19 tests and Felix Auger-Aliassime lost to Maxime Cressy on Tuesday. Sam Querrey, who has enjoyed plenty of success at the All-England Club over the years, also bowed out in round one. Querrey would have been Nadal’s second-round opponent on Thursday, but instead it will be Berankis. This will mark the second-ever encounter and second of the season between the Spaniard and Lithuanian, as Nadal cruised 6-2, 7-5 at a 250 event in Melbourne to begin the 2022 campaign.
Playing his first match on grass since 2019, the reigning Australian Open and French Open champion struggled briefly on Tuesday. He squandered some of a big lead (two sets and a break) over Francisco Cerundolo, eventually trailing by a break in the fourth, but recovered to win 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Berankis erased Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. That is a good result for the world No. 106, but it was first main-tour victory since Dubai and he is just 4-8 lifetime in the Wimbledon main draw with no third-round appearances. The chips are stacked heavily against Berankis, plus Nadal can be expected to improve dramatically now that he has a match under his belt.
Pick: Nadal in 3
Maxime Cressy vs. (Q) Jack Sock
The eye test has always suggested that Cressy would be an outstanding grass-court player, and now the results are coming. In 2021, the UCLA product reached his first ATP quarterfinal at the 250 tournament in Newport. Although he lost right away in Stuttgart earlier this summer, Cressy successfully qualified in Halle and then made a run to the Eastbourne final (lost to Taylor Fritz in a third-set tiebreaker). The latter result confirmed that the 45th-ranked American would be one of the most dangerous floaters at the All-England Club and Auger-Aliassime was on the receiving end of a bad draw—and on the losing end of Tuesday’s 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(9), 7-6(5) result.
Up next for Cressy is a first-ever meeting with Sock, who beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-4 in round one. It has already been a very successful stay in London for Sock, who had to qualify just to get into the main draw. The world No. 103 is now 8-2 on grass in 2022, with semifinal and runner-up performances at a pair of Challengers. However, his two losses (7-5, 6-3 to a struggling Dan Evans and in a third-set tiebreaker to Zizou Bergs) are not encouraging and he had not won a main-tour match since Indian Wells prior to defeating Zapata Miralles. Count on Cressy using his serve-and-volley tactics to frustrate Sock most of the way in a relatively competitive contest.
Pick: Cressy in 4
Don’t know much about Berankis but I expect Rafa to come through. Vamos, champ!!
WWW?
Rafa rolls in 3; Cressy serves a warning to Sock…in 3.
The only other time Rafa played Berankis was at Melbourne this year. So at least he knows him. I am looking to see how Rafa looks after his first match.
In Rafa’s first match he did well with his first serves, but not so good with his second serves. Serving well in the first two games.
Errors streaming from Rafa. He”s not as crisp as normal. He needs to be careful with this fellow. With his centre of gravity his defensive skills r good!
Rafa has been missing his shots. Now he gave up a break to this guy. I guess there are no easy matches for Rafa.
He is looking out of sorts.
Rafa breaks back. Now he has to hold his serve. I hope he can find the rhythm and timing on his shots.
Yes, he really definitely need some test matches before he meets u know who 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Or by the looks of it Kyrios
Kyrgios is looking very dangerous. Rafa has to get comfortable on grass. Way too many errors.
I think this is the best Rafa has looked all match. He stepped it up to get the break and the second set.
Only to give up a service break in the end, sigh! But I’m glad at least he is up 2:0.
On to other news, Shapo is out! Broke racket and all. I’m so happy, less stress for Rafa!
Rafa is playing from too far back, as if he’s playing on clay, and Berankis is making him run from corner to corner!
Rafa just doesn’t look comfortable out there, and he’s rushing through his service games. It seems that Berankis will break serve once he reaches a BP but Rafa OTOH squanders away so many BPs (more than 10) before finally breaks to win the second set!
Rafa should step inside the court more often, especially when playing against the wind; by staying back, he ends up hitting his shots into the net.
So that’s why his shots are going into the net. Rafa can’t seem to get in the groove on the grass. I thought when he closed out the second set with a break that maybe he was starting to play better, but he lost the momentum with the early break in the third set.
I guess this is the way it is right now. Berankis can’t beat Rafa, but he can make it closer than it should be.
I saw the end of Shapo’s match. Typical reaction from him. Good riddance.
Rafa is playing horribly, don’t know HOW he’s up two sets!!
Because Berankis is not a good enough player to take advantage of it.
And Rafa”s playing the important points well too
He’s giving Berankis all types of confidence. Ure right Lucky, Rafa needs to step up to the baseline, i real sis that from first game of first set!! Even if u return serve from behind baseline but once u do that come in!!! Rafa just loves things the hard way. And it seems he’s having one of his third set hang ups!
He is too far back so that his shots and up being too short.
He is really off mentally.
Some of his misses are jaw dropping..
After winning the second set, instead of stepping up to finish the job asap, Rafa has dropped his level and is trailing again in the third set!
Berankis is the aggressor in this match, Rafa seems to be defending so often! Oh dear, Rafa looks like he’s about to lose the third set! Come on Rafa, fire up!
U can tell when Rafa is off mentally because he has no control over his fh.
That’s certainly the case today.
Now Rafa MUST realize that Berankis believes he can beat him!! He needs to put his foot on the metal here or else it could spell trouble! He can’t allow himself to get broken and needs to go for his shots! Berankis seems to be holding comfortable now! Sigh!
The problem he has is not just that he is playing badly but that he empowers his opponent who starts to play above their natural level.