Spoiler:
Rafa's coach breaks down his first-round victory over Sela at Wimbledon
Francisco Roig, coach of World No.1 Rafael Nadal, will be breaking down Rafa's performances at Wimbledon for ATPWorldTour.com. Nadal hopes to lift the trophy for the third time.
On Tuesday, Nadal defeated Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to set up a second-round showdown against Mikhail Kukushkin. Roig lists five key takeaways from Nadal’s win over Sela.
A Notable Start
This was the ideal start because Rafa was complete in all aspects. Perhaps taking a little time off was advantageous and he showed no signs of rust. His serve was on point, he had his share of winners and he was also attacking the net. Overall, it was an impressive performance.
Aggressive Work At The Net
Rafa had the courage to go forward and attack the net. That's something important to our team and essential at this tournament. It shows he's in command; he's the player managing the point and it's a sign of courtcraft. His net game will be crucial in upcoming matches.
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A Solid Adjustment
Obviously, Rafa has had to make adjustments in terms of his shot selection because of the change of surface. But his mentality, in terms of dictating points, remains the same. We've been practising but obviously match play is a whole other story compared to off-court training. It's a matter of preparation and getting to the ball, so that you can hit the appropriate shot. That's something that only comes with match play. We know that if he can get into position to hit the ball, hitting the right shot will come naturally to Rafa.
A Decent Draw
Playing Sela early was a good start because he made Rafa work. He runs well, has very good shot selection and can buzz around the court. He's very talented. Obviously, there were a lot of tricky first-round opponents we could have drawn like Feliciano Lopez or Gilles Muller. But Sela is always a tough test.
The Will To Win
Rafa wants this (third Wimbledon title) and he has the conviction. We see the prospects of victory and we like our chances. It was a shame he went out the way he did against Muller last year (l. to Muller 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 15-13) because who knows what could have happened if he was able to outlast Muller in that match. This season is pretty much the same; we like our chances to go all the way. He's looking as good as ever.
Francisco Roig, coach of World No.1 Rafael Nadal, will be breaking down Rafa's performances at Wimbledon for ATPWorldTour.com. Nadal hopes to lift the trophy for the third time.
On Tuesday, Nadal defeated Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to set up a second-round showdown against Mikhail Kukushkin. Roig lists five key takeaways from Nadal’s win over Sela.
A Notable Start
This was the ideal start because Rafa was complete in all aspects. Perhaps taking a little time off was advantageous and he showed no signs of rust. His serve was on point, he had his share of winners and he was also attacking the net. Overall, it was an impressive performance.
Aggressive Work At The Net
Rafa had the courage to go forward and attack the net. That's something important to our team and essential at this tournament. It shows he's in command; he's the player managing the point and it's a sign of courtcraft. His net game will be crucial in upcoming matches.
You May Also Like: Rafa Routs To Kick Off His Wimbledon Stay
A Solid Adjustment
Obviously, Rafa has had to make adjustments in terms of his shot selection because of the change of surface. But his mentality, in terms of dictating points, remains the same. We've been practising but obviously match play is a whole other story compared to off-court training. It's a matter of preparation and getting to the ball, so that you can hit the appropriate shot. That's something that only comes with match play. We know that if he can get into position to hit the ball, hitting the right shot will come naturally to Rafa.
A Decent Draw
Playing Sela early was a good start because he made Rafa work. He runs well, has very good shot selection and can buzz around the court. He's very talented. Obviously, there were a lot of tricky first-round opponents we could have drawn like Feliciano Lopez or Gilles Muller. But Sela is always a tough test.
The Will To Win
Rafa wants this (third Wimbledon title) and he has the conviction. We see the prospects of victory and we like our chances. It was a shame he went out the way he did against Muller last year (l. to Muller 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 15-13) because who knows what could have happened if he was able to outlast Muller in that match. This season is pretty much the same; we like our chances to go all the way. He's looking as good as ever.
