In tennis, two days can be light years. You can move from suffering to peace, from suffering to comfort in 48 hours. And the way you travel Raphael Nadal inside US Open. This Saturday, Balearic regained all his composure and on Thursday, which was interrupted against Fabio Fognini and Ride before Richard Gasquet for two and a half hours and 6-0, 6-1 and 7-5 to be placed round of 16 A round of the New York tournament where Americans will be measured on Monday Frances Tiafoe.

A completely different Nadal than the one that came out was spotted at the Arthur Ashe circuit against the Italians on Thursday. There was never any sign that anything physical or mental was weighing him down or upsetting him. and solved with surgical efficiency and with an ioverwhelming fool, The procedure before Gasquet, a veteran like himself, with whom the Manacor man has a good friendship and also a devastating track record.

acquaintances since adolescence, Nadal beat the French in 18 games, more than any other player. It is the same number Novak Djokovic Gael prevailed in talks with Monfils, but in Gasquet’s case, he hasn’t even drawn a set in a duel with Nadal since 2008. And it shouldn’t be easy for the Béziers man to come out and face Balearic. Despite his efforts in the third set, the record he dragged behind him reveals his reputation.

raise the bar

Nadal is pleased. believes that what happened on thursday with an “extremely low level”, “It was a little abnormal.“For the way it competed. It was”determined not to repeat and clearly understood. And in fact, quickly learning from what happened, it turned out “mentally and tennis stronger.”

Gasquet’s match against Fognini, added to the two sets he saved the hole, is very important for him. Because what helps him is “playing well”. And each round passed with good training, but after competitive matches needed time and good feeling on the roadThis is the combination you need to continue to have “Welcome to week two with level up options” options.

tiafoe

The next step on this climb must be taken against Tiafoe, “a great player, charismatic, very passionate, very energetic and very fast”. And he knows it will be an important test because Nadal said the 24-year-old American, who was measured twice in 2019 and imposed in both cases, Including quarter-finals in Australia that year, he developed himself and gained experience,

Have tiafoe He comes with the mentality that it’s possible to beat the 23 major holders, who are four-time champions in New York. “I’m a different player from 2019 and I’m playing much better,” he said after qualifying for Maryland. “Ci think i can beat him now (to Nadal), absolutely i will go for it”.