Halle: Breadstick anyone?
Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images
Rafa got his singles grass season underway today by playing #58 Lukas Lacko in the 2nd round of the Gerry Weber Open (aka, Halle). He broke early in the 1st set, but Lacko was able to break back and stay on serve until the 11th game. After a few break point opportunities, Rafa broke to take the first set 7-5. The second set saw Rafa go into steamroll mode. He’s through 7-5, 6-1. Next up is Kohlschreiber.
Stats:
| Nadal | Lacko | |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics on Serve | ||
| Aces | 2 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 3 |
| 1st Serve % | 71% | 66% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 28/37 (76%) | 26/42 (62%) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 10/15 (67%) | 7/22 (32%) |
| Break Points Saved | 0/1 (0%) | 4/8 (50%) |
| Service Games Played | 10 | 9 |
| Statistics on Return | ||
| 1st Return Points Won | 16/42 (38%) | 9/37 (24%) |
| Second Return Points Won | 15/22 (68%) | 5/15 (33%) |
| Break Points Won | 4/8 (50%) | 1/1 (100%) |
| Return Games Played | 9 | 10 |
| Statistics on Points | ||
| Total Service Points Won | 38/52 (73%) | 33/64 (52%) |
| Total Return Points Won | 31/64 (48%) | 14/52 (27%) |
| Total Points Won | 69/116 (59%) | 47/116 (41%) |
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me likes steamroll mode – a lot :)
Me too!
What a nice grass beginning. Mow ‘em down Rafa!
Yeehaa..he wanted to finish the match fast so that he can watch SPAIN vs IRELAND football match in 3 hours time! :o)
Thanks miri. Lacko played well in the first set. I am happy there is lots of crowd support for Rafa. Hope he enjoys his tennis!
He didn’t lose a game since I turned on the match, lol.
Great start :)
Oh, wait, he did lose one game :)
I’m glad the doubles matches are on streams as well.
Thanks Miri. Rafa played well in the first set and very well in the second. Some nice volley, some mistake but nobody is perfect, no? Tommorow is another day.
Nice watching his transition to grass. Staying close to the baseline. Employing lots of slice. Serve returning stance much closer to the baseline. Its good. Had a few UFEs but thats okay coz he was trying to be aggressive all the time.
It was a good, solid test for Rafa today. After finally closing the first set, he seemed more comfortable on the surface and played some high level tennis, which pleased the crowd. The welcome he got when entering the court was really nice to see, everybody standing up and applauding him.
He may feel that’s better than having a street named after him.
*snort* exactly!
definately!
Hahaha..hilarious!:o)
Very happy that they have welcomed him in such a nice day – he deserves it. Rafa Road has a nice ring to it though :)
Wow! Rafa Road sounds lovely..like a cute little street with quaint shops and cafes..what say?
Ha! When *I* hear Rafa Road, I think of an obstacle course and a certain tenista running full tilt through it, sans shirt, jumping over every hurdle whilst brandishing a racquet and shouting, “Va!”
Or something like that …
He’d win the obstacle course ofcourse! :)
And your version is definitely better than mine..I can picture it now..
Shirtless..*sigh*..
Well, I actually picture it in more of a fig-leaf attire … to study the muscle play, you understand.
Of course I do.. ;)
Nice to hear that the crowd is treating him like a superstar that he is. A humble one, of course. I’m liking Halle since Rafa arrived. I think they’re spoiling him and he’s enjoying it. :)
Yeah, I bet!
I just had a thought , when Rafa won Roland garros last year 2011 he made it 10 slams, he then went on to be runner up in the next 3 grand sl finals ( Wimbledon, us and Australian) and then won the French again in 2012. Imagine if he had won those 3 slams, he be on 14 altogether and have feds record well in sight. Ok Wimbledon he wasn’t there mentally, but he felt he had chances at US and Australia. If he won those he’d be on 13!
Wow he isn’t far from being the GOAT. My boyeeee!
Not to mention that before that he had won RG, Wimbledon and USO and gotten injured in the AO…
And if Djokovic had won in RG, he’d have a career grand slam. We can’t re-write history to make Rafa the GOAT. We can only hope he continues to play at a high level.
That thought has occurred to me soooo many times. I honestly feel that he was playing much better than Nole at Wimbledon until the finals and should have won that more than any other. That loss gave Nole the confidence and a dent to Rafa’s.
But I also go by the old saying could have would have should have. No excuses to make. This is what it is.
Imagine how many more grand slams would Federer have won had Rafa not been in so many of those finals. That is what I say to convince myself. Roger would have had a couple of Calendar Slams!
In a way what he went through in 2011 at the hands of Novak seems to have strengthened him, reignited his hunger for the game and also resulted in some changes to his game and of course the adjustment to his raquet. All positive improvements I think. Best of all though is to see him smiling and enjoying his tennis again. Vamos our Rafa and enjoy Halle as they are certainly enjoying having you.
Just heard on Nadal News Fb page..that Rafa and Marcel has pulled out of Doubles at Halle..Hmmm..hope they have a good rest then before wimby!