Rafael Nadal will have this Wednesday, before a friend like Feliciano lopez, the opportunity to arrive at 1,000 victories in his career (around 6:30 p.m., Movistar). Three weeks after being proclaimed champion at Roland Garros, where he reached Roger Federer in number of Grand Slams (20), change the land for the hard court in the same city. In an Omnisports de Paris-Bercy without an audience, the Spaniard faces the first of his several missions: become a millennial, win the title of a Masters 1,000 that resists you (the others are Shanghai and Miami), match Novak Djokovic to 36 Masters 1,000 Y cut points to the Serbian in the world ranking (He withdrew due to injury last year before playing in the semifinals).
“By now, I used to arrive with physical problems. That, coupled with the fact that it is an indoor tournament, was not good to have chances of success on this surface. I was reaching the limit of strength ”, Nadal explained in the preview. This year, due to the stoppage due to the pandemic, He has only played 26 games. “I arrive in better condition than in the past, and at the level of play I am more prepared than before on these surfaces,” he warns. And it is that up to nine times since he was a professional he has not been able to appear at the Parisian Masters. This season, with gas in the legs and no injuries, it can be different.
Nadal doubted whether to close the campaign after winning in Paris, but decided to lengthen it due to his good physical condition. With Davis postponed, the London Masters points to a great climax. And he does not have it on his record.
“I play because I feel like it, because I understand that I have done little in 2020. My evolution has been positive. I finished the year playing well after Roland Garros. And I'm looking forward to continuing to do so, “he said.
If he beat Feliciano (39 years old and 64th in the ranking), Nadal will reach 1,000 victories. Something they have only achieved Jimmy connors, who won 1,274 games and lost 283 (81.8% effective), Roger Federer (1,242-271 and 82%) e Ivan Lendl (1,068-242, 81.5%). The Spaniard has only been defeated in 201 games and his winning percentage is the best of all: 83%.
Feliciano has four victories over the Balearic (9-4) in the face to face. Last year, almost at this point, the two shared the field in a Davis Cup finals in which they gave the sixth salad bowl to Spain.
The one who steps into the eighth is already Pablo Carreño. He advanced with good feelings, eliminating Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (3) 6-2 in 1h: 20. The German held the first set, but Carreño gave no option in the tie-break, which he chained with a start break in the second and another to get 5-2 and serve. His rival on Thursday will be the Slovak Norbert Gombos (105th).
Carreño is 15th in the Race to London, but with three tennis players ahead that have already stopped. To go to the masters tournament and snatch the place from Diego Schwartzman, he should win in Paris (he goes on Nadal's side). Very complicated. At 11:00, an Alejandro Davidovich plugged in at the end of the course will look for the eighth against Benjamin Bonzi (180º). All in one day with the focus on Nadal. And they go…
Most ATP wins
Player Wins
1. Jimmy Connors (USA) 1,274
2. Roger Federer (Sui) 1,242
3. Ivan Lendl (RCh / USA) 1,068
4. Rafa Nadal 999
5. Guillermo Vilas (Arg) 951
6. Novak Djokovic (Ser) 932
7. Ilie Nastase (Rum) 905
8. John McEnroe (USA) 881
9. Andre Agassi (USA) 870
10. Stefan Edberg (Sue) 801
11. Pete Sampras (USA) 762
12. David Ferrer 734