Zverev and Thiem, on the horizon for Nadal at Roland Garros

Nadal rests during his first training session at Roland Garros, this Thursday in Paris.

/ ROLAND GARROS

"The King is back", the organization of Roland Garros advanced at around three in the afternoon, in whose tweet

was already seen rallying

in the new Philippe Chatrier.

It was the Mallorcan's first training session at the renovated center, which in the edition that starts this Sunday will debut a ceiling and artificial light.

A completely different aesthetic and one that Nadal tries to adapt to against the clock, to which the draw carried out this Thursday gave him a debut with the Belarusian Egor Gerasimov, 27 years old and 83rd in the

ranking.

With the medical requirements in hand, the 19 great champion traveled to Paris on Wednesday with the two members of his technical team who will accompany him in the French great: his coach, Carlos Moyà, and his physical trainer, Rafael Maymò.

The next day he faced the scenario that the tournament proposes for the next two weeks, which comes to be summarized in colder and even more water than usual, in addition to new balls that bounce less and take less effects, according to the tennis players. these days.

The Balearic Islands exercised for the first time in these new conditions, nothing to do with those that prevail in the spring of May and June, and in the afternoon he learned the distribution of the main draw in a telematic and simple draw.

Gerasimov will be his first rival, on a route in which he could theoretically meet the American McEnzie McDonald in the second station and the Japanese Kei Nishikori or the British Daniel Evans in the third.

From there, the main dishes.

Logic puts the last two US Open finalists, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem, on his way to the 13th title at the Bois de Boulogne, whom he would hypothetically run into in the quarter-finals and semi-finals;

however, the German should previously resolve a compromised cross with the Belgian David Goffin.

Meanwhile, the Austrian, recent winner in New York, represents a major stumbling block, although he has beaten him the three times they have met in Paris and faces a winding route (Cilic, Opelka, Ruud, Wawrinka, Monfils ...).

At the top of the table stands out the name of

, who will debut against the Swede Elias Ymer, 187th on the world list.

On his way to the final, the number one could litigate with Karen Khachanov, Matteo Berrettini or Daniil Medvedev.

In the women's chapter,

will tackle Tamara Zidansek in the first round.

The two-time Grand Slam champion has never faced the 22-year-old Slovenian who currently occupies the 82nd rung of the WTA.

In its path, weight rivals such as the American Jennifer Brady, Aryna Sabalenka or Karolina Pliskova appear, and other favorites such as Simona Halep, champion last weekend in Rome, and Serena Williams will parade in the upper part.

The American, summoned with her compatriot Kristie Ahn from the start, will once again undertake the challenge of equaling the record of 24 greats of the Australian Margaret Court.

The premieres of the Spanish:

Male painting.

Rafael Nadal-Egor Gerasimov

Roberto Bautista-Richard Gasquet

Feliciano López-rival of the previous one.

Albert Ramos-Adrian Mannarino

Pablo Andújar-Stefano Travaglia

Alejandro Davidovich-Harold Mayot

Roberto Carballés-Steve Johnson

Jaume Munar-Stefanos Tsitsipas

Female painting.

Garbiñe Muguruza-Tamara Zidansek

Sara Sorribes-Simona Halep

Aliona Bolsava-Jasmine Paolini

Paula Badosa-Kateryna Kozlova

DAILY CAPACITY IS REDUCED TO 1,000 PEOPLE

As the tournament takes shape, the capacity is drastically reduced.

The initial intention of Roland Garros was to host 20,000 people on a daily basis, but later the number was cut in half and then to 5,000.

However, this Thursday night the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, announced on 'France 2' that the tournament will finally host 1,000 people each day.

The cut responds to the fact that as of Saturday the French capital will apply more severe restrictive measures that will also affect shows and public events.

Previously, the director of the event, former tennis player Guy Forget, expressed his concern about what was to come, given the evolution of the pandemic in France during the last three weeks.

“It is more risky to go to a supermarket, to a theater or to take the subway than to come with a mask to Roland Garros.

Accommodating 5,000 people in an open space as wide as this is totally safe, "he said on the BFMTV channel;

“Playing behind closed doors is not what we want.

With 5,000 people we are already quite close to closed door conditions ”.