The tournament schedule at the French Open is certainly not helping Rafael Nadal.
The four-time champion – and strong favorite to win a fifth title in 2010 – came into Friday’s second-round match with Horacio Zeballos having to win six best-of-five-set matches over 10 days in order to win a fifth title at Roland Garros.
After his 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win Friday, Nadal now has to win five matches over nine days.
While many will say that Nadal is practically unbeatable on clay and at Roland Garros (he won his first 31 matches at the tournament), his toughest opponent is likely himself and if he can hold up physically. His fourth-round loss to Robin Soderling last year – his first and only loss to date at Roland Garros – was certainly influenced by knee problems that have plagued the Spaniard recently, and prevented him from defending his Wimbledon title last year.
Nadal’s match with Zeballos was postponed a day due to rain. The fact that he beat the No. 44-ranked Argentine with such ease and in only 105 minutes will serve him well. He has lost only 13 games in his first two matches, but tougher opponents await deeper in the draw.
Against Zeballos, Nadal played cleanly, making 12 unforced errors and losing serve once, in the seventh game of the third set. He immediately broke back.
Nadal is attempting to become the second man to win five French Open titles; Bjorn Borg holds the record of six.