Nadal, Djokovic march on at Roland Garros
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A DOMINANT Rafael Nadal arrived at one career milestone yesterday but the speed of the Spaniard’s rampage through the early rounds of the French Open suggests his eyes are fixed firmly on another more significant one.
The world No. 5, seeded four at the tournament he once owned, destroyed Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 to reach the third round for the loss of only nine games and chalked up a 200th match victory in grand slams.
“That’s only another number, and that’s it,” Nadal, who would become the only man to win the same grand slam 10 times in the professional era if he triumphs this year, told reporters at Roland Garros in Paris.
“The only thing I know is that I have reached round three and I know I have to play at a very high level in order to go deep. That’s my sole objective, my only reality.”
It was his first appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier, where nine times he has sunk his teeth into La Coupe des Mousquetaires, since losing to Novak Djokovic in last year’s quarter-finals.
Tougher tests will come and top seed Djokovic looked in the groove by beating tricky Belgium Steve Darcis 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 as his quest for the only grand slam title to elude him gathered pace.
Djokovic won his 50th match at Roland Garros by defeating Darcis. The top-ranked Serb said he struggled to cope with his opponent’s speed from the baseline.
“It was difficult for me tactically to dictate points because he’s very talented,” Djokovic said. “It was difficult but I’m happy I was able to finish in three sets.”
Defending champion Serena Williams brushed aside Brazil’s Teliana Pereira 6-2, 6-1, in second-round action on an overcast fifth day at the claycourt grand slam.
With Maria Sharapova absent, suspended pending the outcome of a doping hearing, and several leading seeds knocked out in round one, American Williams looms as the overwhelming favorite to claim a fourth title in the French capital.
She might not have it all her own way though and the likes of former champion Ana Ivanovic and Spanish claycourt specialist Carla Suarez Navarro were impressive yesterday.
Ivanovic, seeded 14, crunched 22 forehand winners past Japan’s Kurumi Nara for a 7-5, 6-1 victory while 12th seed Suarez Navarro dominated China’s Wang Qiang 6-1, 6-3.
Swiss eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky also prevailed in a tricky second round against 2014 runner-up Eugenie Bouchard, winning a topsy-turvy match 6-4, 6-4.
In the men’s draw seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, a former semifinalist, moved to the third round by beating Tunisian Malek Jaziri 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
He was joined by Austrian dangerman Dominic Thiem, the youngest member of the top 15, who saw off Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (3).
One notable second-round casualty was Australia’s Bernard Tomic, the 23-year-old 20th seed, who lost to Croatian teenager Borna Coric, 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (4), 6-7 (6).
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