G’day from Rome!
It was like old times sitting courtside watching Rafael Nadal play on Centre Court in the Italian capital on Thursday. Rafa defeated Zizou Bergs 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a match that saw some big swings in momentum for the 10-time champion.
Let’s dive into what I noticed from the stands and what Rafa had to say in his post-match interview.
1: THE RAFA ROLLERCOASTER
By his admission, Rafa was very inconsistent. We saw some of the magic of old, but there was a lot of spraying to accompany it. This is what he said post-match.
“It was not my best match. I was practising better than how I played today without a doubt but I found a way to win,” Nadal said.
“That is so important at the beginning of the tournament. My game is more unpredictable than before. I didn’t play much tennis for the past two years, so it is up and down. I think I can do much better than I did today and hope I can do it in the next round.”
This is the new reality for Rafa. If he doesn’t quite know his level, then we can’t exactly predict it either. From one point to the next, he played some excellent tennis and then would frame a forehand and not really know why.
Rafa said post-match, “My game is more unpredictable than before. I didn’t play much tennis for the last two years so some up and down, but I think I can do it.”
2: RAFA PLAYED BETTER FROM BEHIND
When Rafa got ahead, such as 3-1, 30-15 serving in the opening set, his level dropped. This is a time he would usually drop the hammer, but not when he doubts himself. He passively rolled a neutral backhand into the net and then dumped a routine forehand into the net to go down 30-40.
He saved one break point, then another backhand net error was followed by a backhand return winner from Bergs. At this critical moment, Rafa played not to lose. Not the Rafa we have grown to love over the years.
Serving at 4-4 in the opening set, Rafa missed a backhand wide, then a double fault, then a weak forehand error, then another double fault to be broken at 15-40. He wasn’t ready mentally to finish that set from 3-1 up.
Ironically, losing the first set was the best thing that could happen to him. Now behind on the scoreboard, he could relax his nerves and swing how he wanted. You could tell it was liberating for him from the first point of the second set. He raced to a 3-1 lead, and then the nerves kicked in again. He had to save a break point while serving before holding for 4-1. Once he got his second set under his belt, you knew that he had the confidence to finish the match.
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3: FINDING A WAY TO WIN
This is what champions do. They may not play their best tennis for whatever reason, but they still know how to navigate themselves to the finish line in the darkness.
“I was able to find a way to win, which gave me the chance to play in two days again, to show myself, especially that I can do it much better than today. That’s the feeling I have on my practice sessions.”
Rafa has been improving daily on the practice court, but nerves and a lack of matches under his belt have created uncertainty in his mind.
“Of course, improvement, it’s important because the biggest improvement is that I still playing. That’s the biggest thing and the most important thing for me,” Nadal said
4: PLAYING TOO DEEP
“In Barcelona, I was not sure if I was able to keep going. I am serving much better than in Barcelona. I improved that. I feel myself quicker. Sometimes I am playing too far from the baseline. That’s something that I want to do it better, and I hope to do it better.”
This is a real concern for Rafa, as his court position is not optimal in a match. The primary reason he plays so deep is to buy more time to get his hands and feet organized. But the further back he drifts, the shorter he hits the ball on the other side and the more he runs as a consequence.
” That’s it. I really believe that I need to organize my position a little bit better on the court than what I did today. For me, the first set in the last match of Madrid is a good reference the way I need to play. Here is a little bit easier for me because is not altitude. For me that’s a good example the way that I need to play. I think – not in Barcelona – but today I can do it.”
5: RAFA NEEDS TO LOSE HIS FEAR
QUESTION. How hard is it or is it getting easier managing your body in these matches, knowing that you need to think about conserving energy or making sure you’re not hurting yourself?
RAFAEL NADAL: “Yeah, is tough because I did the things very step by step, trying to make small improvements day by day.”
But arrive the moment today that I need to try. I mean, I need to try to play at my hundred percent. Is not easy because I need to lose a little bit of fear that I have in some shots,” he said.
That’s another layer of complexity for Rafa. He basically didn’t play last year and he has played a reduced schedule so far this year. He needs matches, but he is also running the risk of overdoing it and getting injured again.
“I did this progress the last three weeks on the tour. But arrive the moment that I need to try, I need to go for everything. If something happens, something happens. That’s the true,” Nadal said.
And then he looked forward to Paris.
“I have Roland Garros in just two weeks and a half, so… Arrive a moment that I need to prove myself if I am able to push my body to the limit that I need to push to feel myself ready for what’s coming,’ he said.
“I am not talking only about Roland Garros. I am talking about the next match. I need to lose this fear. Matches like today help. Some moments I was moving faster. Some moments not. I need to get used to that, to take that risk. It’s a moment to me that happen. If something wrong happens, we going to accept it. But that’s the moment to push. I feel more ready to try it than before.”
It’s great for Rafa and great for our sport he is more ready to go full tilt than he has in recent months.
6: FINDING THE POSITIVES & STABILITY
QUESTION. What is the dominant feeling after that game? The frustration or deception, like you said, you don’t play well, or is something positive because you find a way to be able to win the game?
RAFAEL NADAL: “No, I see it like a very positive today. Even if I didn’t play well, that for me was a little bit in some ways surprising, in another hand not surprising because I didn’t play much tennis for almost two years.”
“I need to accept that my level, it’s a little bit more on and off. It’s not like used to be that was very stable everything. I need to find this stability again. Matches like today helps, no?”
This is exactly what I saw in his first round match against Bergs. The consistency was not there. He was good for a few points, and then off for a few points. The more points and games and sets and matches he plays in Rome and Roland Garros the better. The old Rafa is trying to break out of its shell.
“I felt myself before the match ready to play at the good level of tennis because I am feeling the ball much better on the practice sessions than what I felt in Barcelona and in Madrid. I feel myself closer to show something probably much more positive that what I showed since the day of today. Then I need to do it. That’s a different story.”
“I feel myself closer. That’s why I was on the court even without playing well but telling myself I need to go through and explore the options that I can do it much better the next day because my feelings on the practice are much better than what I had, the level I showed today on court.”
“Maybe in two days I will not play well. That’s true. That’s a possibility. But I hope to be able to play much better than today, to start thinking another way.”
“Let’s see. I mean, I am excited with the victory. That’s give me the chance to keep going. I am very happy for that.”
Rafa plays Hubert Hurkacz in Rome today. All eyes will be on the Spaniard as he attempts to get one day better.