It is 3:59 p.m. on Monday May 23 and Rafael Nadal is starting his 109th match on clay at Roland-Garros.
Since its first appearance, in 2005, it has lost only three.
The man with 21 Grand Slam titles returns to his garden, the Philippe-Chatrier center court, on which he came to seek the Mousquetaires cup 13 times.
The ovation of the well-stocked stadium that accompanies his first balls is on a par with the legend.
His intended victim of the first round has a look straight out of the 1980s and a mustache à la Magnum, a TV series of the time.
Australian Jordan Thompson has the heavy task of launching the world No. 5 on the royal road.
But the Spaniard is not at the top.
Beneath his appearance as an absolutely indestructible champion, he suffers from a rare disease: Muller-Weiss syndrome, an incurable degenerative disease.
He suffers horribly from the left foot and walks continuously as if he had a small sharp stone in his shoe.
Of course, his opponents know it.
On a few extensions, we see him lean on the right foot longer to spare the other.
“The pain is still there and it's not going away now.
The question is whether its intensity will allow me to play with real chances or not, ”he said before the start of the tournament.
A thing of beauty 🥹#RolandGarros |
@RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/7YFjEnIFFm
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 23, 2022
For now, the answer to his question is yes.
Badly or not, Rafael Nadal plays this Monday as he knows how to do at Roland, that is to say very well.
He devours the mustachioed kangaroo in the first round, quickly done well done in forty minutes (6-2).
Rebelote at the start of the second set: Thompson loses his entry service, Nadal sends him to the four corners of the court.
His 106th victory at Roland-Garros
The Australian is brave and does what he can, but what if you're ranked 82nd in the world against the best player of all time?
At least, not to open a heated debate, who has won the most Grand Slams in history.
Not much.
Even weakened by his illness and the doubts that go with it, Nadal unrolls while Thompson gets angry by missing a few easy shots.
Same reason, same punishment, therefore, in the second set that Nadal still won 6-2 in about forty minutes.
Led 2-0, was the Australian then in a position to take three sets from the master of the house for what would be the most resounding feat of the last twenty years at Roland-Garros?
The answer is obviously no.
The Spaniard wins the third set 6-2, again, and the game in two hours of play.
French, English, Spanish 😃#RolandGarros |@RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/JkNqNRazeK
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 23, 2022
“I am always very happy to play on this court, he rejoices in French in the middle of the field.
It's the most important place in my career and it's always a unique feeling to play there.
It is an honor to be part of the history of Roland-Garros and I am delighted today because the first round is always special to negotiate.
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Rafael Nadal wins his 106th match on clay at Roland-Garros to bring his career total to 1052 wins for 212 losses.