If the exchange reflects this when liquidity increases, those odds should be laid: Thiem is likely to serve more aces, but it’s also likely that we won’t see many aces at all, and Thiem is no certainty to easily outscore Nadal in that department.
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Rafael Nadal improved to 11-0 in French Open semifinals as he seeks his 11th title at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament, saving all seven break points he faced and overwhelming 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. And I’m really happy to prove the people wrong, because all the guys who practiced the week or 10 days before Roland Garros, they are already at home for a week. He beat me in Madrid and he has incredible power. “Still, I know how to play against him”. I believe I can be ready for that final.
“You can win a set, but not a match against Rafa”, said Del Potro keen not to over-egg any hint of weakness in Nadal’s game. So there was mild concern when Nadal called for the trainer midway through a game, requiring treatment on what looked like cramp in his hand.
“It is nearly impossible to beat Rafa”, said Del Potro who had his chances but failed to convert any of his seven break points before his challenge petered out into tired hopelessness.
Surely, so did del Potro.
Rafael Nadal powered his way into the French Open final with a straight-sets win over Juan Martin del Potro. The win continues Nadal’s undefeated run on championship weekend in Roland Garros-the Spaniard has never lost in Paris after reaching the semifinals.
Yet Nadal, whose all-time claycourt record now stands at 414-36 says nobody should assume his feats are routine and that each victory is celebrated like the first. What is also interesting to note is that Nadal and Borg have never lost French Open Finals, Sampras has never lost a Wimbledon Final, and Djokovic has never lost an Australian Open Final (not mentioned in the table as the US Open and Australian Open stats have been clubbed), clearly highlighting their big match mentality on the biggest stage, on their preferred surface.
“Even if it was 6-3 6-4, it was an uncomfortable match for me”, Nadal said.
“I think for me it is very important today, because I playing against Dominic”.
Where can I watch the live streaming of the matches? He then played an ATP 250 tournament in Lyon the very week before French Open, an often unheard practice from a top 10 player ahead of a Slam – and won it – just to keep the momentum going.
At No. 72, Cecchinato was the lowest-ranked men’s semifinalist at the French Open since 1999.
Nadal saved that second trio of break points Friday, held there, then broke in the next game to grab that set.
The Austrian netted an easy volley to give another opportunity to Cecchinato, which he seized, forcing his opponent to a backhand error.
Two breaks later Nadal was in a familiar position, serving for the title, and when another Thiem forehand dropped long, his arms were raised in celebration, yet again.
“They are the first set is everything, and the weather is everything. It was like a new match after the first set”.
Thiem’s massive forehand allowed him to race into a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak. You need to clinch that first set because he is coming out nervous.
“Not a very nice feeling”, Thiem said. “It was destructive a little bit”, Thiem, who won two claycourt tournaments this season, said. “So it was good for me that I won it”.
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Anything can happen in a Grand Slam final.
