Rafael Nadal defeated Jannik Sinner at Foro Italico two years ago but was not a happy camper. Rafa took down the most formidable second-round rival 7-5, 6-4 in the last match of Wednesday’s program, finishing the clash around 21:20 and heading toward a short press conference. Already knowing tomorrow’s schedule, Rafa could not spend much time with journalists, saying he needed to rest as he plays around 13:00 on Thursday. Rafa and Denis Shapovalov were scheduled to hit the Center Court after Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty, and the Spaniard was unhappy. Rafa said it would have been acceptable to play at around 13:00 in some other circumstances, but not this one, especially had Jannik and him gone into a decider.
Rafael Nadal finished the 2021 Rome Masters duel vs. Jannik Sinner at 21:20.
The schedule aside, Rafa played a good match against Jannik. The Spaniard suffered three breaks and stole the youngster’s serve five times to seal the de in just over two hours and reach the last 16. Unlike against Alexander Zverev in Madrid, Rafa played much more aggressive tennis. He controlled the pace in the shortest and more advanced rallies to overpower the young gun and move through. They traded four breaks in the opening six games, and Rafa produced three excellent holds after that to keep the pressure on Jannik. The Spaniard seized the seventh set point in the 12th game to wrap up the opener in 70 minutes and gain a boost. Sinner built a 4-2 advantage in the second set, playing well and looking good to force a decider. However, Nadal rattled off four straight games to move over the top and avoid spending more time on the court.
“Unfortunately, the press conference can not last long, as I have to play early tomorrow. The action starts at 10:00 am, and my match is third, which means I can play at around 13:00. That would not be a problem in normal circumstances, but not in this one. It’s 21:40 now, and we could have gone into the third set. Tomorrow, I have to be at Foro Italico at 11:30 and wait for my match if something unexpected happens. The schedule does not hurt me, but I think it’s not o.k. The order of play usually comes from the tournament director and someone from the ATP, and I think they made the wrong decision. I’m not angry, but that’s how I feel,” Rafael Nadal said.
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