2022 Roland Garros R128: [5] Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson

[dapchai]

Alert Nadal threw his racket @vive le beau jeu !

 

[NatF]

Nadal dropping two games in a set to a 70's pornstar at Roland Garros, how the mighty have fallen.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Nadal dropping two games in a set to a 70's pornstar at Roland Garros, how the mighty have fallen.

You enjoying the king?

 

[beltsman]

omg Bull threw his racquet!

 

[dapchai]

Nadal’s first serve is complete crap these days. Man he used to have some good placement in those matches when he beat djokovic at the french. His serve has never gotten better. This type of serving won’t get it done against novak .

50% first serve so far. Not good by any mean.

 

[NeutralFan]

But but Novak's strategy of playing heavy topspin FH to Rafa's BH - TTW expert lol

 

[dapchai]

Who cares about Hubert Hurkacz's bag check lol

 

[The Blond Blur]

I'm NOT hyping Novak at all. I'm just saying that the only pro who can beat Novak is Nadal. That's it.
If people think that a young gun like Alcaraz will beat Novak - they are sadly mistaken. It takes a Big 3 to beat another.
People were hyping Berra, Titspas, Shapo etc in 2021 - all of them were smashed by Novak.

Literally no one did that except ********* (most of whom aren’t here anymore for a reason).

 

[Poisoned Slice]

 

[D.Nalby12]

So far Nadal looks very beatable. Almost at same level as last year.

 

[irishnadalfan1983]

Rafa seems to be hitting the FH harder than usual??! Or maybe his opponent is so weak/making it easy??! Hard to know...

 

[Beulah Jesus]

First set done and dusted.

 

[MichaelNadal]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1528742953283354626

 

[NoleFam]

Nadal threw his racket? Why...he won the set 6-2.

 

[ttwreader]

2

 

[dapchai]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1528742953283354626

Wrong thread lol

 

[TennisFan3]

Alcaraz is a lot better than Berra, Titspas or Shapo.
And he humillated Djokovic in Madrid.

humiliated? Carlos BARELY won - almost lost.
People have beaten Novak in STRAIGHTS at BO3, but still been smashed at slams.

Novak at slams >>>>>>>>>>>>> Novak at BO3.

The fact that Alcaraz need 3 sets and barely won does NOT PORTEND well for the Spaniard when he faces a MUCH HIGHER level Novak in a slam SF.

 

[dapchai]

Who cares about Hubert Hurkacz's bag check lol

But I care about Paula's...

 

[RG GOD]

So far Nadal looks very beatable. Almost at same level as last year.

And you say that after a 6-2

 

[aldeayeah]

Don't think Borat has a chance today, no.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

So far Nadal looks very beatable. Almost at same level as last year.

It’s the serve. He has to do more with that first serve.

 

[NatF]

You enjoying the king?

I'm sure I'll enjoy it when he returns at Laver Cup

 

[ADuck]

He should just serve right handed

 

[Nadal15thslam]

Wow!

 

[Kralingen]

Rafa does look a bit less sharp than I had hoped.

 

[NeutralFan]

Vintage FH from Rafa

 

[ojo rojo]

Don't think Borat has a chance today, no.

 

[Wilhelm]

It's so tough out there against Rafa. Thompson knows a first round encounter might be his best chance to beat him, yet even the not quite locked in level is so high.

Both seem to dislike the conditions quite a bit.

 

[RG GOD]

humiliated? Carlos BARELY won - almost lost.
People have beaten Novak in STRAIGHTS at BO3, but still been smashed at slams.

Novak at slams >>>>>>>>>>>>> Novak at BO3.

The fact that Alcaraz need 3 sets and barely won does NOT PORTEND well for the Spaniard when he faces a MUCH HIGHER level Novak in a slam SF.

Losing to a 19 yo child in his first match
At least Rafa won the first 2 matches.

Djokovic will be Alcaraz' pigeon.

 

[dapchai]

Rafa does look a bit less sharp than I had hoped.

He doesn't look good at all I think. Very weak BH and serve. First serve 59%...

 

[ACE of Hearts]

I don’t see how nadal doesn’t make the QFs barring injury but if he faces novak he’s gonna have to hit with depth and the first serve will have to be on point.

 

[spottishwood]

Rafa at his ''absolute" peak. No one can beat him now.

 

[ewiewp]

what's Borat complaining about?

 

[NeutralFan]

Rafa at his ''absolute" peak. No one can beat him now.

I don't know why Rafa fans seem to be worried, he looks to be in great form.

 

[Kralingen]

He doesn't look good at all I think. Very weak BH and serve. First serve 59%...

He’s definitely a bit more tentative than I think he should be. Not exactly moving with a lot of intensity and yeah the serve is not good. Still positive signs overall.

But honestly Thompson is an embarrassing player totally reliant on serve+1, so it’s hard to tell. Thompson has gone 0-5 on clay this year including challengers, he legitimately can’t keep the ball in play. so it’s hard to judge.

 

[dapchai]

what's Borat complaining about?

Both have been complaining about the lights preventing them from seeing the ball I think.

 

[TennisFan3]

I don’t see how nadal doesn’t make the QFs barring injury but if he faces novak he’s gonna have to hit with depth and the first serve will have to be on point.

His serve is always a problem. Novak will put him under pressure and break more often than not.
Nadal rarely serves well on clay and it hurts him

 

[Nadal15thslam]

He doesn't look good at all I think. Very weak BH and serve. First serve 59%...

It's a first round match, Djokovic also plays worse at the beginning and he raises his level when he needs to later in the tournament.

 

[D.Nalby12]

And you say that after a 6-2

He is facing nobody in first round..

 

[D.Nalby12]

Rafa does look a bit less sharp than I had hoped.

He looked better in early rounds last year. Nobody doubted his win.

 

[dapchai]

He’s definitely a bit more tentative than I think he should be. Not exactly moving with a lot of intensity and yeah the serve is not good. Still positive signs overall.

But honestly Thompson is an embarrassing player totally reliant on serve+1, so it’s hard to tell. Thompson has gone 0-5 on clay this year including challengers, he legitimately can’t keep the ball in play. so it’s hard to judge.

I can see Rafa's movement and serve are off today. His BH is landing short.

It's a first round match, Djokovic also plays worse at the beginning and he raises his level when he needs to later in the tournament.

Are we supposed to talk about Choco here? Rafa and Choco are different.

 

[weakera]

Tennis channel said Rafa is hitting harder and with more spin than average but didn't show the numbers or say what the baseline they're comparing to is.

 

[intrepidish]

This place is even more incoherent than usual. It would be impossible to tell anything about Nadal's level of play or what's going on in the match if you didn't already know before reading here.

 

[WarriorRafa]

I'm concerned about the FH and BH on the run which is to be expected at 36 years of age. Thompson is not skilled enough to expose that

 

[ACE of Hearts]

A little better serving by nadal in this second set.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Epic af

 

[ChrisRF]

Nadal's defense is definitely there already. Really great points in the past few games.

 

[dapchai]

Rafa looks quite slow.

 

[ewiewp]

Tennis channel said Rafa is hitting harder and with more spin than average but didn't show the numbers or say what the baseline they're comparing to is.

Definitely running much better than last 2 tournaments.

 

[Kralingen]

Nvm he looks really good now.

Squirmdal brigade in shambles.