In Paris, Nadal has no roof

There is a first time for everything, and this was the combination of

, Roland Garros and the roof.

The formula worked, hence the jump in the last frame of the match against Stefano Travaglia: 6-1, 6-4 and 6-0.

During 1h 35m, the Spaniard took muscle and shot his percentages to land in the eighth of the tournament (against young Sebastian Korda, Petr's son, 6-4, 6-3 and 6-1 Pedro Martínez) having already met the

that awaits you from now on.

• Nadal, without doubts or certainties

• Nadal enjoys McDonald's

Suddenly, the Chatrier is no longer the Chatrier.

It has little to do with that charming track that breathed history on all four sides.

Neither better nor worse;

simply, now is another story.

Also seductive, but very different.

When accessing the sand, Nadal meets a new landscape because it is not even six in the afternoon in Paris and to the glass, wood and clean concrete that has already been known since last year, the Mallorcan adds with a sharp look the presence of the 48 spotlights (24 in the back and another 24 on the sides) that shine their artificial light on it.

Also the beautiful cover of peel sheets that the tournament has dedicated to Roland Garros, the aviator (who does not play tennis) that the great Frenchman gives his name.

From the clay, the Mallorcan, already with his mother incorporated into the expedition, discovers an absolutely new world that, he says, reminds him of the old Hamburg stage, when it was played there under cover.

The sound of the blows is hollow and although the scales of the roof open slightly through the stands and serve as cat flaps for the hammer blows of the two tennis players, the feeling is different.

There was old Chatrier.

But there is no time for nostalgia.

The humidity of the day is filtered, 93% at this time, and Nadal wants to take it out, but a couple of clueless spectators hit the eye because with the new reality and the lack of fans in the stands, the lateness sings, and the Mallorcan controls Even the smallest detail.

Bursts of clicks!

of the photographers find a place in the center, the boxes that surround the track have gained prominence (business rules everywhere, whether in Paris, London, Melbourne or New York) and Nadal is gradually adjusting to the new Parisian stage .

It meets the expected conjunction: the

format

, electric light, the afternoon shift (13 degrees of temperature, six less than on Wednesday and with a much lower thermal sensation) and autumn.

All at once, all at once.

And what that entails.

, he apologizes to the rival when he perceives that the doors of the VIP area are opening and closing until an employee quickly intervenes.

The distraction is over.

Or not.

The Head of Communication also acts because from the American television set located in a corner the booming voice of an announcer can be heard who, warned, lowers the tone of the broadcast.

Now, let's continue.

Then, Nadal tackles Travaglia with decision and solves the first two games in white, and concentrated closes the first set at cruising pace.

To Travaglia, 28 years old and 74th in the world, an Italian from Ascoli who does not have bad blows and nine years ago his career almost destroyed when he fell rolling down some stairs and slammed into a glass, two severed tendons and various injuries to his arm Right, the good guy, the shaking goes away and the face plant in the second.

It's the same.

Based on seriousness, control and greater depth, finally showing that much-needed crossed backhand and taking another good step forward, especially with the serve (78% with firsts and 82% with seconds), Nadal breaks him in the seventh game and it strikes him in the third because with the tests he has been doing, it is enough for him.

Is enough for today.

It was the first time like this: him, Paris and the ceiling.

And it was not bad at all.