Rafael Nadal claims 101st Roland Garros win after proving too strong for Alexei Popyrin
uche amako
·20 min read
Rafael Nadal claims 101st Roland Garros win after proving too strong for Alexei Popyrin - GETTY IMAGES
Third seed Rafael Nadal survived a third set scare to beat Alexei Popyrin in his opening match of the French Open.
In his quest for a 14th Roland Garros title, Nadal made a slow start but eventually made the breakthrough late in the first set to take the lead and win it 6-4.
The second set was much more of the procession expected pre-match as Nadal took full advantage of several errors by his Australian opponent, claiming it 6-2.
However, with the finish line in sight, Popyrin refused to concede in the third set and broke Nadal for the first time in the match to lead 4-2.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Popyrin had two set points but squandered them, hitting a double fault on his first and missing a makeable smash on the second.
That escape was all Nadal needed as on his first break point of the game he rushed Popyrin into an error and got level.
Popyrin was then forced to save four more break points as Nadal looked to wrap up the match but he hung on desperately to guarantee himself a tiebreak.
In the resulting tie-break, Nadal was ultimately too strong for Popyrin, who raced through to record a remarkable 101st win at Roland Garros.
Nadal said: "The beginning of the match was very tough - he was playing bombs all the time and his serve was huge, and in these warm, fast conditions it is always difficult.
"He is young and the speed of his ball is just incredible. He’s fast running and when he hits the ball every time, he is going for the hardest power possible.
"It was a tough match and I was lucky to win the first set – I don’t know how I did it but I was super happy."
Frenchman Richard Gasquet awaits Nadal in Thursday's second round when the Spaniard will celebrate his 35th birthday.
Barty admits she will have to battle through the pain barrier
By Simon Briggs
World No 1 Ashleigh Barty admitted that “it's going to be a little bit tough this week” after being hampered by a left-hip issue in her opening match of the French Open.
Barty is now on an eight-match unbeaten run at Roland Garros, having lifted this title in 2019 and then skipped last year’s event because of the pandemic. But her odds will have lengthened after a scratchy 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win over Bernarda Pera in which she required a medical time-out.
“I think over the weekend we had a bit of a flare-up through my left hip, which obviously just needed a bit of help today,” said Barty, who always speaks of herself and her long-serving coach Craig Tyzzer in the first person plural.
“I'm not going to hide behind the fact I'm not quite 100 per cent,” Barty added. “But I can guarantee that I will go out there with the right attitude every day, and give it a crack no matter what.”
Barty became becalmed in the second set, using her sliced backhand to defend her way through too many rallies while Pera – an American left-hander with punchy groundstrokes – took the initiative. After the time-out, the world No 1 was able to reassert herself strongly enough to progress, but this was not a convincing beginning.
Barty had previously pulled out of her most recent match – the Rome quarter-final against Coco Gauff – with a recurrence of an old bicep problem.
After resting for a few days, and then building up through a week of training in Nice, she and Tyzzer thought they were in a strong position to continue what has been a consistent season, featuring titles in Miami and Stuttgart and a runner-up finish in Madrid.
But then the hip issue arrived, apparently out of Paris’ clear blue sky. “It was an acute episode, I suppose we'll call it, over the weekend,” said Barty, who will play world No 45 Magda Linette of Poland on Thursday in the second round. “Actually, I was feeling great. It's not perfect timing, but, you know, there never is a perfect time.”
05:00 PM
See you tomorrow...
That's it from us. Another busy day to come on Wednesday with Serena Williams and Alexander Zverev among those in action.
As usual, stick with Telegraph Sport for all the latest tennis news.
04:55 PM
Nadal wins...again
A good workout for Nadal and credit to Popyrin. Better players than him have crumbled to Nadal on this court in the past. But he hung in and nearly forced the match into a fourth set.
Popyrin backhand winner, 0-1. Nadal smash to much for Popyrin, 1-1. Nadal forehand winner, 2-1. Popyrin nets a forehand, 3-1. Popyrin creeps to the net but volley wide, 4-1. Popyrin nets a forehand, 5-1. Nadal forehand winner, 6-1. Popyrin forehand winner, 6-2. Another Popyrin forehand winner, 6-3. Popyrin nets a backhand, 7-3.
04:39 PM
*Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-6 Popyrin
It will be a tiebreak to decide this set as Nadal holds to 30.
04:34 PM
Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 5-6 Popyrin*
Double fault from Popyrin then another missed overhead, 15-30. He then nets a backhand. Two break points.
Popyrin saves the first and then the second as Nadal nets a forehand.
Another break point chance as Popyrin misses again. Nadal nets a forehand.
Fourth chance as Popyrin goes long with a backhand. But the Australian saves it with a forehand pass. Seven minutes this game so far.
And he eventually comes through to force Nadal to stay in the set.
04:24 PM
*Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 5-5 Popyrin
Pressure right back on Popyrin as Nadal holds to 15 in quick time.
04:21 PM
Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 4-5 Popyrin*
Popyrin puts a forehand long on the opening point. Nadal then puts a defensive backhand wide, 15-15. Popyrin serve and volleys but nets the easy volley. How big will that be?
Nice drop shot by Popyrin, 30-30. Huge point now. Popyrin forehand winner. Set point.
Popyrin double fault. Deuce. Popyrin forehand winner. Second set point. Popyrin has multiple chances to put a high ball away but fails and puts a smash well long. Deuce.
Wild forehand by Popyrin. Break point Nadal. Nadal breaks as Popyrin puts a forehand long. If you ever need an example of a player crumbling under pressure, that was it.
04:13 PM
*Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 3-5 Popyrin
Nadal puts the pressure on Popyrin with a hold to love. Can the Australian handle the pressure?
04:09 PM
Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 2-5 Popyrin*
Popyrin is in the zone right now. He drills a forehand down the line, 30-0. And he completes an excellent service game to hold. 13 points in a row.
04:07 PM
*Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 2-4 Popyrin
Popyrin forehand winner, 15-30. Wonderful point ends with a backhand volley winner by Popyrin. Two break points.
Popyrin nets a backhand on the first. But Nadal goes wide with a forehand to give Popyrin his first break of the match. The Aussie showing great belief.
04:01 PM
Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 2-3 Popyrin*
Nice job by Popyrin to keep the points short. He's found his first serve again and holds to love.
03:58 PM
*Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 2-2 Popyrin
Deft drop volley by Popyrin to move to 15-30. But he then nets a backhand. He then rifles a backhand which is too hot for Nadal. Break point. Popyrin nets a forehand despite showing good defense.
Another opportunity missed as Nadal holds with a backhand winner.
03:53 PM
Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 1-2 Popyrin*
Popyrin holds to love.
03:52 PM
*Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 1-1 Popyrin
Ever since Popyrin earned a couple break points he hasn't got close to Nadal's serve. Another easy hold.
03:47 PM
Third set: Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 0-1 Popyrin*
Big forehand by Popyrin, 40-15 but he nets a backhand, 40-30. He holds to get off to a better start in this set.
03:40 PM
Nadal* 6-3, 6-2 Popyrin
Blistering forehand return winner by Popyrin, 0-30. But he nets a forehand to allow Nadal to level the game.
Set point Nadal as Popyrin goes long with a defensive backhand. Second serve ace by Nadal and he takes a commanding lead.
03:34 PM
Nadal 6-3, 5-2 Popyrin*
Popyrin doesn't look too confident, which isn't a surprise. But he holds to love. Nadal will have to serve it out again.
03:33 PM
Nadal* 6-3, 5-1 Popyrin
All clicking into place for Nadal at the moment. He's now a game away from a two set lead.
03:28 PM
Nadal 6-3, 4-1 Popyrin*
Popyrin stops the bleeding with a couple of aces and holds. He won't be winning this match though.
03:26 PM
Nadal* 6-3, 4-0 Popyrin
Nadal just breaks your will, especially on clay. Popyrin looking a bit sorry for himself but he is gifted a point when Nadal nets a smash, 40-30.
Any danger is averted though as Nadal holds. Seven games in a row now.
03:21 PM
Nadal 6-3, 3-0 Popyrin*
Vintage 'banana' forehand by Nadal, 0-30. Dreadful attempted drop shot by Popyrin. Three break points. Popyrin saves the first. Then the second. But not the third, Nadal breaks.
After grinding through the first set, Nadal is strolling through this set.
Nadal backhand winner down the line, 15-30. Popyrin's backhand flies wide and allows Nadal to move 40-30 ahead.
Good response by Popyrin as he wrong foots Nadal with a forehand winner. Deuce. Break point for Popyrin after he hits a forehand winner. Popyrin goes for it again but gets it wrong. Back to deuce.
Nadal holds to consolidate the break.
03:08 PM
Second set: Nadal 6-3, 1-0 Popyrin*
Awful start to the set by Popyrin as he falls to 0-40. He saves the first. But not the second as he hits a wild forehand.
Popyrin can't find a first serve at the moment and it has proven costly.
03:01 PM
Nadal* 6-3 Popyrin
Nadal took a while to get going but the moment he saw an opening he took it and he holds to 15 to win the set.
History tells us it is mission impossible for Popyrin now.
02:59 PM
Nadal 5-3 Popyrin*
Popyrin has a sloppy game and it gives Nadal a break point opportunity. Nadal gets his return deep and Popyrin frames a forehand into the air.
Perfect example of how quickly things can turn around. Nadal to serve for the set next.
02:53 PM
Nadal* 4-3 Popyrin
Nadal double fault, 30-15. Popyrin puts a backhand return long and Nadal holds on.
Meanwhile, a boost for Nadal should he come through this match. Last year's quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev is out, losing in five sets to Jan-Lennard Struff.
02:50 PM
Nadal 3-3 Popyrin*
Nadal is yet to figure out Popyrin's serve as he bangs down his fourth ace of the match.
02:46 PM
Nadal* 3-2 Popyrin
Nadal nets a backhand while on the back foot. He finishes with an ace.
02:43 PM
Nadal 2-2 Popyrin*
Nadal is standing a couple of metres behind the baseline to return Popyrin's serve. Might we see an underarm serve at some point?
Nadal comes out on top in a drop shot battle, 30-30. Serve and volley winner by Popyrin. Nice variety. He'll need that today.
Forehand winner by Popyrin to finish the game. Impressive start.
02:36 PM
Nadal* 2-1 Popyrin
Another tricky service game for Nadal as he is taken to deuce after a couple of errors.
But the King of Clay closes out the game with an ace and backhand volley winer.
02:31 PM
Nadal 1-1 Popyrin*
Terrific start for the young Australian. He holds to love in a game which included a forehand winner and an ace.
02:28 PM
First set: Rafael Nadal* 1-0 Alexei Popyrin (*denotes serve)
Nadal goes wide with a backhand, 30-30. But the Spaniard comes through to hold.
Popyrin hits a very heavy ball. Lets see how often he can keep it between the lines.
Barty is not running away with the match as she might have hoped and Pera has moved into a 3-0 lead.
Some work to do for the world No 1 and top seed.
12:44 PM
Upset alert
Andrey Rublev has been one of the best players on the men's tour in the last 18 months.
But the Russian is two sets down against Jan Lennard Struff. Uphill task for the world No 7 now.
Andrey Rublev - GETTY IMAGES
12:39 PM
First set Barty
After a lengthy but competitive first set, Barty eventually gets the job done to win it 6-4. The Aussie will hope the second set is not as tough.
12:30 PM
Barty broken
Leading 5-2, Barty was serving to take the opening set but she's just been broken again. Pera serving at 3-5.
12:20 PM
More results
American Ann Li has beaten Margarita Gasparyan 6-0, 6-1. Greece's Maria Sakkari, the 17th seed, defeated Ukrainian qualifier Katarina Zavatska 6-4, 6-1 while Ons Jabeur overcame Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 6-2.
12:17 PM
Back to back to back breaks
Three breaks of serve in a row sees Barty lead 3-2 after 23 minutes. A scrappy start to the match.
It is a sparse crowd on Chartier which is disappointing given Barty's quality.
12:04 PM
Pera hangs on.
A nine-minute opening game between Barty and Pera but the latter comes through to hold.
Could be a long afternoon for the American.
11:48 AM
Boris Becker on Osaka
Strong comments from the German on Osaka.
He told Eurosport: “Sadly I’ve heard her first response a couple of days ago about this media boycott and she cited mental health issues, that’s something always to be taken seriously, especially from such a young woman.
“She couldn’t cope with the pressures of facing the media, especially after losing a match. Now Mats, you and me both know that happens frequently and you have to deal with it and I always believed that is part of the job.
“Without the media there isn’t any prize money, there isn’t any contracts. And you don’t get half the cake. I hated the media personally. I didn’t like to speak to journalists but I had to do it.
“She has cited that she is pulling out of the tournament altogether because she can’t cope with it. That raises much bigger questions for me because if she can’t cope with the media in Paris, she can’t cope with the media at Wimbledon, she can’t cope with the media at the US Open.
“I almost feel like her career is in danger because of mental health issues and that we should take very seriously.”
11:34 AM
Barty up next
Svitolina's win means Barty is due on court for her clash with Bernarda Pera.
Barty won the tourament in 2019 but skipped the event last year due to travel concerns during the coronavirus pandemic.
Looking to extend her 7-match #RolandGarros win streak... 😄
There was a potential upset brewing on Court Philippe-Chatrier as French wildcard Oceane Babel served for the second set against Elina Svitolina.
But Svitolina won five straight games to complete a 6-2, 7-5 win
11:24 AM
Matches of the day
Ashleigh Barty v Bernarda Pera, Rafael Nadal v Alexei Popyrin, Novak Djokovic v Tennys Sandgren and Carla Suarez Navarro v Sloane Stephens.
We'll keep an eye on those with a live blog of Nadal's match to come.
11:08 AM
Early result
Australian Open runner-up Jennifer Brady eased past Anastasija Sevastova to reach the second round. The 13th-seeded American, who has never reached the third round at Roland Garros, won 6-3, 6-3 after breaking Sevastova at love in the final game.
10:57 AM
Support for Osaka
"The first thing to be considered is Ms. Osaka's health. I wish her the earliest possible recovery," Japan Tennis Association (JTA) Executive Director Toshihisa Tsuchihashi said in a statement on Tuesday.
Former British No. 1 Laura Robson felt the four Grand Slams, who threatened Osaka with an expulsion from Roland Garros and future majors, could have handled the situation better.
"Maybe if they had not let it escalate to this point then we wouldn't be here," Robson told the BBC.
10:47 AM
Osaka withdraws
Yesterday saw Roger Federer and Serena Williams reach the second round but the biggest story was Naomi Osaka.
The four-time champion is out of the tournament amid the backlash to her decision to not take part in press conferences. She revealed in a statement that she had been suffering from depression and anxiety since 2018.
10:31 AM
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to coverage from day 3 of the French Open.
It is the final day of first round matches in Paris and defending men's champion Rafael Nadal and Serbia's Novak Djokovic headline the action with women's top seed Ash Barty.
Nadal, who is seeking a record-extending 14th title at his favourite Grand Slam, is seeded third this year and in the same half of the draw as top seed Djokovic. Winning the title will move Nadal past Roger Federer at the top of the all-time list of men's Grand Slam champions, with 21.
The Spaniard begins his campaign on Philippe Chatrier against Australia's Alexei Popyrin, who he beat in straight sets in the last-16 of the Madrid Masters in March. Djokovic, who lost to Nadal in last year's French Open final, faces American Tennys Sandgren in the evening session.
The Serb has beaten Sandgren in all three of their previous meetings, with his most recent victory over the American coming at last year's ATP Masters tournament in Cincinnati.
Barty, the 2019 champion, opted not to defend her title last year, citing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of training time in an abbreviated season. The Australian world number one opens her quest to regain her crown against unseeded American Bernarda Pera, in the first career meeting between the two.
Meanwhile, the fallout from Naomi Osaka's decision to withdraw from the tournament continues as the news transcends sport. "So proud of you," Venus Williams posted on Twitter. "Take care of yourself and see you back winning soon!"
Williams's sister Serena and younger American players Coco Gauff and Sloane Stephens also chimed in with messages of support as the focus shifted from Osaka's responsibilities to her wellbeing. Billie Jean King echoed comments from fellow women's tennis trailblazer Martina Navratilova about the importance of mental health.
"It's incredibly brave that Naomi Osaka has revealed her truth about her struggle with depression," King wrote on social media. "Right now, the important thing is that we give her the space and time she needs. We wish her well."
There were also messages of support posted on social media from athletes in other sports, with golf's Michelle Wie, NFL players Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett as well as multiple Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt offering their backing.
"You shouldn't ever have to make a decision like this -- but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be don't protect their own. Major respect," wrote NBA All Star Steph Curry.
After highlighting some players who boosted their fantasy basketball stock for next season, it's time to see who's on the opposite end of the spectrum after the NBA Playoffs.
Matt Harmon is back from vacation and feeling refreshed. In his return to the pod, he asks which players need a fantasy refresh in 2024. Andy Behrens joins Harmon on the pod as they try to identify 10 candidates that need a fantasy reputation reboot this upcoming season.
We continue our 'Data & trends that will define 2024 season' series on the pod by looking at how the run game is making a big comeback in ways that you wouldn't think. There is no better topic, we thought, for Nate Tice to make his pod debut as a full time Yahoo member. Tice joins Matt Harmon to look at how teams are weaponizing their run game and which teams could have great rushing attacks in 2024.
