Paris: As rain played spoilsport, top seed Rafa Nadal started his quest for an 11th Roland Garros title with a three-set win over Italian rival Simone Bolelli, here Tuesday. The Spaniard who was up 6-4, 6-3, 0-3 when the game was interrupted Monday due to heavy rain, had to fight hard in the third set before winning, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (11-9).
Nadal saved four set points in a thrilling third-set tie-break to finally quell the enterprising challenge of World No 129. The Spaniard also had two match points which Bolelli saved before finally closing out the match on his third.
Resuming at two sets up but 0-3 down in the third, Nadal had to bring all his battling qualities to bear. So often in this match Bolelli looked poised to do what no man could do here last year and pilfer a set from the 10-time champion. However, ultimately, Nadal’s experience prevailed.
Next up for the 10-time champion here is Guido Pella of Argentina, a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Joao Sousa of Portugal.
“It was very difficult. Simone is a very good player and he had lots of chances and was very aggressive. But I am happy to have won here on this court, the most important of my career,” Nadal said after the match.
Third-seed Marin Cilic also progressed to the second round defeating unseeded Australian James Duckworth 6-3, 7-5, 7-6(7-4) in rainy conditions, Tuesday.
“It’s not often we play in the rain, so it was a bit different. the balls were a little bit heavier, a little bit different, but that’s the special thing about the French Open,” Cilic told the Philippe Chatrier court after his win.
Cilic, who reached his third major final in Melbourne this year, was pushed to seven games in the second and third sets against Duckworth ranked No. 1,072.
Sixth seed South African and ninth-ranked John Isner of the US also progressed smoothly. The 6’11” Anderson looked in complete command in his 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 demolition of Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi while the big-serving 6’10” Isner won two tight tie-breakers in his 6-4, 7-6(9-7), 7-6(9-7) match against compatriot Noah Rubin.
Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first ever main-draw French Open match. The 19-year-old, who lost in Roland Garros qualifying last year but is now the 24th seed, was erratic at times but always had too much power for his opponent.
India’s challenge at the Open ended as Yuki Bhambri proved no match for Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium and went down tamely 4-6, 4-6, 1-6.
Other results
Fabio Fognini bt Pablo Andujar 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
Kyle Edmund bt Alex De Minaur 6-2, 6-4, 6-3
Horacio Zeballos bt Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-7(3-7), 6-4, 6-2
