World No. 2 Rafael Nadal will begin his quest for a 12th Roland Garros title against Yannick Hanfmann on Monday.
Date: May 27, 2019
Match time: Rafa is second match on Court Philippe Chatrier. Around 12.30 PM local time / 6.30 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 11.30 AM BST – United Kingdom / 12.30 PM CEST – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 8.30 PM AEST – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
The 27-year-old German, ranked a lowly 184 in the world, has come through three tough rounds of qualifying to make the main draw in Paris for the first time.
There’s no match history between these two players.
Despite being 27 years old, this is only the second time Hanfmann has participated in a grand slam, as he was in the 2018 US Open where he lost to Philipp Kohlschreiber in four sets.
Rafa is 14-3 on the spring European clay-court swing, lifting his first ATP Tour title of 2019 in Rome with victory over World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on 19 May.
Our champ has an incredible 86-2 match record at the clay-court major.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP Tour
Best of luck Rafa ❤️🍀 – Love watching you play 😍
VAMOS CHAMP! 🎾💪🏼😘
A mad rush of fans to court Suzanne Lenglen:
“Vincent Balme didn’t know who was practising inside Court Suzanne Lenglen, but the 39-year-old from Belgium saw droves of people running to Roland Garros’ second biggest show court, and thought: We have to get there.
The Brussels resident was glad he did. Balme, along with his wife and two of their children, nestled into four seats together behind the baseline, about halfway up, to watch 11-time champion Rafael Nadal prepare for another historic run in Paris.
The Spaniard and Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay practised for nearly two hours in front of a nearly-full stadium as thousands of parents, along with their children, busied the grounds during Kids’ Day at Roland Garros, where main draw play begins on Sunday. It was a stark change for Nadal, who practised in front of only credentialed spectators on Friday inside Court Philippe Chatrier.
But the Spaniard didn’t mind the constant murmur from fans’ chatter and surely appreciated the claps and cheers, “Allez!”, after lengthy rallies and pleasing points. Balme and the thousands of fans enjoyed the session. “It’s a nice surprise, and to see it real.
He was most impressed by Nadal’s precision and his consistency, how he hits every ball well. “He places the ball where he wants… The racquet is a third arm,” Balme said.
[SOURCE: ATP Tour May 26, 2019]
“[Rafa’s] racquet is a third arm,” what a fitting declaration about the King of Clay.
RAFAMAZING ROCKS
I am happy Rafa doesn’t have any problem with the changes made at Roland-Garros and that he feels as comfortable as always playing the French Open. I did have some concern knowing his dislike of change.
“With Parisian sun on his back, Rafael Nadal has been training hard at the newly refurbished Stade Roland Garros ahead of his quest for an incredible 12th trophy.
And the Spanish superstar, who has compiled the majority of his 86-2 record at the clay-court major on show courts, insists the new Court Philippe Chatrier stadium, razed to the ground shortly after his 2018 triumph, is no different to the old version.
‘I don’t see a difference in terms of game experience,’ said Nadal on Friday. ‘I think the wind is going the same way, and the feeling on the court is exactly the same. It’s looks a little bit different, from behind the royal box. For me, that’s the main difference.’”
[SOURCE: ATP Tour]
Looking forward to seeing Rafa kick up the clay in his fancy new shoes! Vamos!
ROCK the court Rafa.
Good Luck Rafa.
Good luck Rafa!!!Enjoy!!!
Go and take that trophy for the twelve time.Vamos Rafa……we love you!!!
XXX
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA AND VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!:) HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TIME PLAYING!!!!!!!!!!!:) NOTHING TO PROVE TO NOBODY JUST ENJOYING YOUR PRECIOUS POINT BY POINT FUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) ONLY THAT MATTERS NOTHING ELSE………..WI……………WI………….WI………… ………..YOU ARE READY AND WE CAN SENSE YOUR PRECIOUS AND BLESSED ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) VERY HAPPY FOR YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) IT WILL BE EXCITING TO WATCH YOU LIVE AT 6:30 EARLY MORNING AND BE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU FROM THE FIRST POINT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) CI……..CI……..CI……..OUR NEIGHBORS ARE ALREADY USED TO OUR EXCITING CHEERING AND ENDLESS LOUD VAMOS SCREAMING………… YOU HAVE THE GOODS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) GO RAFA GO AND PAY YOUR PRECIOUS ATTENTION ONLY TO YOUR OWN SLIDING AND GLIDING AND REACHING AND SERVING AND RETURNING AND TO YOUR CUTE ADORABLE FOCUSED FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) LAST NIGHT A GOOD NEIGHBOR WAS MAKING CONVERSATION AS HE WALKED BY OUR GARDEN AND GUESS WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT………CI……….CI………..CI…………….HE SAID WITH A BIG SMILE ISN’T RAFA NADAL PLAYING SOON??????? THEY ALL KNOW WE ARE CRAZY FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR PRECIOUS TENNIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) I GAVE HIM A BIG SMILE AND CHATTED FOR A WHILE……ANYWAY SWEETHEART HAVE A LOVELY NIGHT AND …….SWEET DREAMS XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!:)
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) ENJOY A GREAT SUNDAY AND A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!:) IT WILL BE A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU AND ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) WE LOVE YOU !!!!!!:) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Good Luck champ 💪💪💪💪
Vamos Champ
Bring it home again
Rafa good luck champ this is your tournament vamossssssssss champ 💪💪💪🎾🎾🎾😘😘😘❤️
I thought Rafa’s match’d be on 3rd, rather on 2nd. I hope everyone turns up for it and doesn’t spend 3 hours having dejeuner – the place was half-empty for Tsitsipas’s match today! Vamos Rafa!
Suerte Rafa en tu primera Ronda.. Siempre son las mas dificiles… A por tu primer partido.. Pasito a pasito
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Rafa, looking forward to your favorite red clay.. Show them that you are the King of Clay.
Vamos Rafa…