RolandGarros

RG: Rafa In The 5th

5/24/2011Rafaholics



Rafael Nadal had never played five sets at Roland Garros… until Tuesday afternoon, when he ran into inspired American John Isner. The Spaniard’s 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4 come-from-behind victory over John Isner was uncharted terrority for Nadal, who lost his only previous match in Paris when trailing two sets to one in a fourth round defeat to Robin Soderling in 2009. Tuesday’s win sees Nadal improve to an 12-2 record in five set encounters at Grand Slam events [see chart below].

Year Tournament Round Opponent Result
2004 US Open R128 Ivo Heuberger W 6-0, 6-3, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3
2005 Australian Open R64 Mikhail Youzhny W 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 7-4, 6-3
2005 Australian Open R16 Lleyton Hewitt L 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(3), 2-6
2006 Wimbledon R64 Robert Kendrick W 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, 6-4
2007 Australian Open R16 Andy Murray W 6-7(3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
2007 Wimbledon R32 Robin Soderling W 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(7), 4-6, 7-5
2007 Wimbledon R16 Mikhail Youzhny W 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
2007 Wimbledon F Roger Federer L 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2, 2-6
2008 Wimbledon F Roger Federer W 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7
2009 Australian Open SF Fernando Verdasco W 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-7(1), 6-4
2009 Australian Open F Roger Federer W 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2
2010 Wimbledon R64 Robin Haase W 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
2010 Wimbledon R32 Philipp Petzschner W 6-4, 4-6, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3
2011 Roland Garros R128 John Isner W 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4

Coming into his third meeting with Isner, Nadal had dropped just 10 sets in his first 40 matches at Roland Garros, and boasted a 9-2 record in tie-breaks at the event. This was just the fourth time in 28 career majors that Nadal had lost a set in the first round; Isner became the first to win a set against the Spaniard in the opening round of Roland Garros. Nadal has never lost in the first round of a Grand Slam, notching his 28th consecutive win since making his major debut at Wimbledon in 2003.
With the loss, Isner falls to a 1-9 record against Top 5 opponents; his best win to date was a thrilling five-set, final tie-break win over fifth-ranked Andy Roddick in the third round of the 2009 US Open. He was looking to become the first American man since 2000 to register a Top 10 victory at Roland Garros; Jan-Michael Gambill upset No. 8 Nicolas Kiefer in the first round 11 years ago.

Stats:

Nadal Isner
Statistics on Serve
Aces 8 13
Double Faults 1 3
1st Serve % 72% 68%
1st Serve Points Won 79/97 (81%) 76/112 (68%)
2nd Serve Points Won 26/37 (70%) 31/53 (58%)
Break Points Saved 0/1 (0%) 10/15 (67%)
Statistics on Points
Total Service Points Won 105/134 (78%) 107/165 (65%)
Total Return Points Won 58/165 (35%) 29/134 (22%)
Break Points Won 5/15 (33%) 1/1 (100%)
Total Points Won 163/299 (55%) 136/299 (45%)
Other Stats
Winners 50 54
Unforced errors 27 58
Net Approaches 13/22 (59%) 43/66 (65%)

Source:ATP

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