Paris: During his birthday celebrations Saturday, Rafa Nadal who turned 31 was asked whether he was good friends with his Sunday opponent countryman Roberto Bautista-Agut. The World No. 4 said, “Yes, both off and on the court we are very good friends. We frequently talk and exchange messages.
Well that friendship was never evident as Nadal delivered a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 hammering to Agut to enter the quarterfinals of the French Open here Sunday. A bewildered Agut may well say after the match, “Who needs enemies when you have friends like this.”
Saturday night Real Madrid completed their La Duodecima in the Champions League. The Spaniard showed Sunday that he is now the firm favourite for a La Decima (10th title) at the Roland Garros. His form has been ominous and in the passage to the quarterfinals he is yet to lose a set.
Yes, a slight chink appeared early on when he lost his serve in the third game of the match, the first time in this edition of the event at Roland Garros. But that was the last time, Agut smiled during the match. The rest of the tie was a grim affair, with Agut’s facial expression changing from despair to exasperation with every passing point.
Nadal swept through the first set, in the second, he just lost one point in his serve as he broke his ‘friend’ twice. In the third, he faced a breakpoint, but promptly saved it with a ferocious inside-out forehand, something that has been the hallmark of his game during his nine titles. Nobody, knew what the two talked at the net during the after match customary handshake, but it could easily have been, “Lo siento companero” (sorry mate).
Nadal will next meet another countryman, Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in the semifinals. The two have met seven times with Busta yet to take a set off Nadal. So there can be no doubt that another Nadal masterclass is on the cards.
Sunday however, Busta pulled out the best shots as he ended the run of big-serving Canadian and fifth seed Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-6(7-2), 6-7(6-8), 6-4, 8-6 in a marathon 261-minute baseline slugfest.
Earlier in the day, in a battle between two Asians eighth seed Kei Nishikori beat Korean Chung Hyeon 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(4-7), 0-6 6-4 to also book a place in the quarterfinals. The match was a spillover from Saturday because of rain interruption.
