Rafael Nadal reaches French Open second round with victory over Robby Ginepri

Spaniard cruises to 6-0, 6-3, 6-0 victory over American wild card at Roland Garros

 

Rafael Nadal found Court Suzanne Lenglen to his liking as he dispatched American wild card Robby Ginepri in the first round of the French Open.

Many eyebrows were raised when the order of play for Monday was released showing the eight-time champion would be opening his campaign on Roland Garros' second court.

The other grand slams do not have hard and fast rules like Wimbledon, where the defending champions open play on Centre Court on the first two days.

But for the man who has lost only once in nine years in Paris and is the world No1 to be treated in such a manner was certainly unusual.

Nadal's camp let it be known on Sunday night that they were not happy, but in the end the 27-year-old spent only an hour and 42 minutes out there on his way to a 6-0, 6-3, 6-0 victory.

Ginepri reportedly headed to Roland Garros early in the morning on Sunday to practise on Court Philippe Chatrier in the assumption he would be playing there.
The 31-year-old certainly needed to familiarise himself with such surroundings having not played in the main draw in Paris since 2010.
Later that year Ginepri, a former top-15 player, broke his elbow after falling off his bicycle and he has not been back in the top 100 since.
Nadal was therefore the last man he would have wanted to be drawn against, and the Spaniard, looking to become the first main to win five successive French Open titles, was typically ruthless.
Ginepri enjoyed a decent spell early in the second set but could make no headway on Nadal's serve and found his own under constant pressure.
Nadal is likely to find things tougher in the second round, where 20-year-old rising star Dominic Thiem could well be his opponent.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/rafaelnadal/10857149/Rafael-Nadal-reaches-French-Open-second-round-with-victory-over-Robby-Ginepri.html