"Last year was a joke" says Rafael Nadal on facing Denis Shapovalov

Thursday, 12 May 2022 at 15:30

Updated at Saturday, 07 December 2024 at 22:18

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byErik Virostko

Rafael Nadal will play against Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the 2022 Italian Open in Rome after defeating John Isner.

Rome seems to be a traditional meeting point for Nadal and Shapovalov, as they will meet for already third time in five years at the Italian Open. The first time they met, it was a comfortable 6-4, 6-1 victory for the Spaniard, who was the first-seeded at the ATP Masters 1000 event and also lifted the trophy that year.

Last year, the young Canadian led 6-3, 3-0, and also had two match points later in the match as he failed to push through. The 21-time Grand Slam champion remembers the match, as he also spoke about it in Rome.

"I finished better than how I started, without a doubt. The beginning of the match was not good for me. He had some chances on the return and had two break points. [He had] two not difficult balls so I was in his hands at that moment."

"I was lucky that he missed those shots and then I was able to break. Then the match changed, of course. With the first set on the board, and having the break in the first game of the second [set], everything changed."

“I just focussed on myself. I focussed on trying to keep going. I knew I had to do things better than I had done, and I need to practise to try and do it better and better."

Despite being one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and undoubtedly the greatest clay-court player ever, Nadal admitted that he got lucky in his last year's win over Shapovalov.

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“Last year was a joke, the match that I saved here against him. [I was] super lucky. I know how dangerous he is, I need to play well, of course. I need to play better than today, but after a while without being on court it is another victory and I have the chance again to play against one of the best players in the world."

This year, he will try to avoid similar complications, but at the end of the day, it's about building towards the French Open for him, as he'll aim to win his 14th trophy in the French capital.

"I need to build things again after a tough stoppage and that’s what I am trying now. I just need to stay with the right attitude, and let’s see if I am able to make that happen."