Rafael Nadal will open his French Open campaign against Frenchman Benoit Paire (No. 45) on Monday.
Date: May 29, 2017
Match time: Around 12.30 PM local time / 6.30 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 11.30 AM BST – United Kingdom / 12.30 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 8.30 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Paire:
He is not an opponent you want to play against in the first round. A player with big talent. Great serve, great hands. Fantastic backhand, no? He is a dangerous opponent. Yeah, that’s it. I need to play my best.
Rafa leads Paire 2-0 in their lifetime head-to-head, with both wins coming in straight sets on clay (2013 Madrid, 2013 Barcelona).
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
63 64
|
| 2013 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
762 62
|
Rafa in 2017:
- Titles (3): Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid
- Finals (3): Australian Open, Acapulco, Miami
- Clay record: 17-1
- Season record: 36-6
- Year starting rank: 9
- Current ranking: 4
More stats:
- This is Rafa’s 13th successive Roland Garros and his 48th appearance at a major.
- Rafa has a 95-2 win-loss record in best-of-five-set matches on clay. His only defeats came at Roland Garros – in the round of 16 in 2009 (l. Robin Soderling) and the quarterfinals in 2015 (l. Novak Djokovic).
- Rafa is the leading performer in Roland Garros history. He enters the tournament with a 72-2 win-loss record at Roland Garros, ahead of Roger Federer (65-16) and Guillermo Vilas (58-17).
- Rafa is one of only 2 players to have won multiple clay court titles this year along with Alexander Zverev.
- Rafa is bidding to win his 53rd career clay court title at Roland Garros. By winning his 50th clay court title at Monte Carlo-1000, he set an Open Era record for the most career clay court titles ahead of Guillermo Vilas (49).
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ITF
You were right on target Rafa, but I sensed a tad of nervousness in your post-match presser. I hope I am wrong.
Of course you may be nervous. With the stakes so high you wouldn’t be human if you weren’t, but I know you have the champion credentials to overcome any obstacles in your path.
Play on Rafa and thank you for bringing such joy to your millions of fans and to me.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa won in straight sets in less than two hours.
One match down and six more to go to hold trophy number 10. !!
But there I go again looking ahead and I promised I would do as Rafa does and take one match at a time.
Good 1st round result for Rafa. Not his best tennis but it wouldn’t do to peak too soon. 1 down – 6 to go.
wi….wi…..wi…..what a beautiful break serve shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Love the blue green & white short outfit !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ; ) ; ) ; ) : ) SO HANDSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) You look so sharp & beautifully fit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) Enjoy lots & lots of fun playing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Lots of love & happiness sweetheart and this will be a beautiful great match for you and a brilliant tour for you…… a match at a time……solid point by point your RAFA MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Rafa should go all out today. No B/S, no weakness, no nerves, go and roll this guy in 3 sets. Next up is Haase, who, with all due respect, is a complete nobody on the tour. No big wins, a resume that shows nothing impressive at all. Of course, the same applied to Rosophynol, Mr Darcy, Dusty Brown, and Nick the Greek at one point, but for Robin it really should stay like this.
Best of luck in your opening match today, Rafa. I’ll be right there on Lenglen court to cheer you on. So lucky to be able see you live in Paris. It should be a very entertaining match. Can’t wait!!!
Not much on Paire vs the big boys so I chose his most recent (2017, 2016) matches vs. the following:
Paire lost to Stan at Rome 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
but beat him at Madrid 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
He lost to Amalgro at Estoril.
Rafa has won vs Amalgro 15-1.
He lost to Cuevas at Madrid.
Rafa has a 3-1 record vs Cuevas having lost to him at Rio in 2016.
He lost to Zeballos at Barcelona.
Rafa’s record against Zeballos is 2-1 having lost to him in Chile, 2013.
I don’t think this will go to four sets. That’s what I’m hoping.
RAFA ROCKS
Good luck and Vamos Rafa!!!
Hope you do well tomorrow. Vamos Rafa.
Good luck and vamos Rafa!
I am annoyed that Rafa was placed on Lenglen tomorrow. I do not think Rafa has to play every match on Chatrier, but I think he should be there tomorrow. He is playing a Frenchman too. I will be so nervous for every match. Rafa will not have to worry since his fans will do it for him.
Usually each top player has to play at least one match on Lenglen court. Better for Rafa to start on that court and later play all matches on Chatrier.
The best of luck Rafa 🍀❤️🤗
VAMOS CHAMPION! 🎾💪🏼😘
Buena suerte mi querido Rafa Vamos Rafa
Suerte para mañana!!!!!
Rafa, this is a potential historic tournament for you. Wishing you all the best at your favorite clay-court home away from home. VAMOS!
RAFA ROCKS
good luck this yr rafa,,,
Wishing rafa luck tomorrow in his 1st round match. I will be watching and cheering him on.