Nadal, beset by back injury, boosts winning streak in Paris
PARIS — The closest thing to intrigue or drama involving Rafael Nadal yesterday came after his 31st consecutive French Open victory concluded.
That’s when the eighttime champion revealed a painful back is slowing his serves — and, all in all, giving him more trouble than his opponents so far.
For now, leave the oncourt theatrics to others. Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, for example, was clutching at aching hamstrings while being taken to 7-7 in the fifth set by No. 28 Philipp Kohlschreiber before their third-round match was suspended for fading light. No. 23 Gael Monfils acknowledged tanking a set en route to a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 victory over No. 14 Fabio Fognini, who was docked a point for chucking his racket near a ball boy.
“They make a good show for the crowd,” Nadal said. “Long match. Crowd involved. Good for tennis.”
Well, aside from the fact that Monfils and Fognini combined for more than twice as many unforced errors (137) as winners (66).
Nadal’s play was much, much cleaner: During the entire course of his 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 victory against 65th-ranked Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, the top-seeded Spaniard made 10 unforced errors — two in the first set, three in the second, five in the third. He has dropped a total of 19 games through three matches.
More worrisome would be his back, which also acted up in January during a loss to Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final.
“During my career, I had (a) few problems. … Hopefully will not be (the) case” the rest of the way in Paris, Nadal said.
Against Mayer, Nadal averaged only 102 mph on first serves, with a top speed of 114 mph.
That was down from an average of 111 mph and top of 122 mph in the first round on Monday.
Through two matches, Nadal faced five break points and lost serve twice. He dealt with eight break points yesterday, losing two. The last time Nadal won 31 matches in a row in Paris, he did not get No. 32, losing in the fourth round in 2009 to Robin Soderling — a defeat that later was blamed, in part, on injured knees. That remains Nadal’s lone setback in 63 matches at the tournament.
Next for Nadal is 83rdranked Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, who defeated Jack Sock of the United States 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
In women’s play, 15thseeded American Sloane Stephens defeated No. 22 Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-3, 6-4. Stephens next faces fourth-seeded Simona Halep, who topped 55th-ranked Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor of Spain 6-3, 6-0.
Halep is the highest seeded woman left in the field.