Watch highlights as Rafael Nadal begins the defence of his Roland Garros title with a straight-set win over Alexei Popyrin on Philip Chartier Court.
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LOL when I resort to some of those Rafa anxiety tactics. Hit the mute, change the channel, hope
for a double fault-pretty familiar😀
❤️Rafa took time to send charming greeting to Carla Navarro, who returned to tennis after illness,
telling her she is a champion👍👏🙏
Vamos Raga
FELICIDADES RAFA !!!!ESTAMOS PENDIENTES.
Well done Rafa.
Congratulations Rafa, well done, onwards and upwards now to the next round. Vamos x
Correction: at another site Rafa referred to the first set as the one where he was lucky. Not the third set. Don’t know which is the accurate quote.
Rafa congratulations well don vamosssssss you play amazing 💪💪💪👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️
Made a meal of it Rafa! I sometimes genuinely wonder if he gets bored and wants to set himself a challenge. Although I never thought he’d lose, I would have seen dropping a set as a bad sign. Rafa needs to get though the early rounds in a timely manner and retain his dominant aura. Job done today.
I’m glad Richard Gasquet won against Hugo Gaston – I’d been worried about Gaston as a potential opponent after his performance at RG last year (beat Wawrinka and pushed Thiem to 5 sets).
I like Rafa’s outfit by the way, and I’m glad the jacket and cap are navy not green, the bright green would have been too much I think.
Rafa looks sharp in the new outfit, but I still like the pink/lavender combo more.😜
I appreciate Rafa’s comment that he “doesn’t know how” he won that third set. He wasn’t playing well in the third up until 4-5 and then he turned it on. Nothing wrong with his stamina or nerves.
Overall I thought his serve and the other parts of his game were all there. I also appreciate Khawartamoor’s earlier comment that sometimes he needs to switch the channel. I deal with the anxiety for Rafa by putting some temporary emotional distance between myself and the possible result. I also suggest to Rafa’s opponent that he double fault. Sometimes works!
I also turn the sound down when the Tennis Channel commentary gets in the way.
Finally, three good clay court players who will not be challenging Rafa at this Tournament: Theim, Sonego, Rublev. All out in the first round.