Rafael Nadal wanted a good run in Rome two years ago following an early Madrid Masters exit. The Spaniard had to work hard to pass the opening rounds at Foro Italico and reach the last eight. He defeated Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-4 in the second round after being a break down three times. Rafa was challenged even harder in the following encounter, battling against Denis Shapovalov for almost three and a half hours! The Spaniard prevailed 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 after fending off two match points in the deciding set’s 12th game. He survived all the obstacles to find himself in the quarter-final and avoid the season’s third early Masters 1000 loss. Nadal won five points more than Shapovalov. He wasted ten out of 14 break chances and suffered five breaks that almost cost him the match after trailing 6-3, 3-0, 40-30!
Rafael Nadal saved two match points against Denis Shapovalov in Rome 2021.
Denis fired over 40 winners and tried to keep the points on his tally, pushing Rafa to the limits and staying in touch with a great rival in the shortest and mid-range exchanges. After a terrible start, Rafa climbed back in the second set’s second part. He trailed again in the decider before making one last push that kept him alive. Denis survived three break chances at 5-5 in the final set and created those two match points in the next game. He squandered them and lost the tie break 7-3 to propel Rafa through. After the match, Nadal said he had to keep his head clear, spraying too many errors from his racquet but not losing the mental strength. Thus, he remained positive and kept fighting until the end.
“I choose to fight and keep the fighting spirit and determination. Many errors were coming from my racquet, and I at least tried to keep my head clear. This is sport, and you always have to fight until the end. It’s worth all the effort if you score only one win like this every season. It was a significant victory for me; it gave me confidence, although I knew I had to do better. There were many long games, and I had to fight hard to reach the quarters. I hope I can prepare for the next match; the main thing is to recover physically, and we will see how I wake up. These Masters 1000 encounters are always challenging, as you must play again the next day. Rome is a significant tournament for me, and I’m going day by day,” Rafael Nadal said.
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