Comfortable triumph for the Balearics (4-6, 2-6 and 6-7), who ousted the Dutchman and face Taylor Fritz in a round of Wimbledon in which he is undefeated
Rafa Nadal is already in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, the round in which he has never lost. Back in the top eight on the grass in London for the eighth time in his storied career. With the feeling, in addition to reaching cruising speed on a surface that always has something strange in front of him, much more after the total absence of shooting on the green for the third Grand Slam of the season. One of the tournament’s revelations, Botic van de Zandschulp was no match for the most successful of all time on the major stages of world tennis.
Nadal stepped back onto Center Court as the ‘Spanish Armada’ last hope at Wimbledon, just after Badosa’s resounding loss to Halep on the same podium. Take on a tennis player with an almost unpronounceable name and little first-level experience, but far more experienced on grass than the Balearic Islands after reaching the semi-finals in Queens and playing in the Mallorca tournament. Despite a logical nepotism, especially after improving his feelings with a great match against Sonego after his more discreet version against Cerúndolo and Berankis, the Spaniard did not want to trust the fast play of the Dutchman, who he had already beaten this year in the Roland Garros third round
Firm in his serve, he was very close to the break with his opponent’s serve in the premiere. It was about patience, ripening the break from the hostile service that gave him the initiative. He waited far behind for the rival service, aware of his virtues but not finding the key to counter them. The first set seemed headed for the tiebreak, but you already know the Nadal zone. Manacor’s activates a kind of special power when the moments of truth approach. That was how it was in the tenth game of the match, in which the net remained to win the first set. Two ‘break’ balls and thus a set after a double foul by Van de Zandschulp due to pressure. Too much concession for the victory eater’s hunger. The Dutchman saved the first, but in the second his passing went long and set the game downhill for the two-time Wimbledon champion (4-6).
The advantage didn’t seem to undermine the Wageningen tennis player’s morale, with the opportunity to challenge one of the biggest and equals of the 2021 US Open quarterfinals, his historic ceiling. Nadal made his first serve very difficult, with his first ball of the game, but the one who broke the opponent’s serve was almost always the one. Another stroke of effect at the precise moment and at the behest of the second set. Van de Zandschulp had to see himself trailing 0-3 to regain confidence in his powerful serve and show all those qualities that brought him to 25th place in the ATP ranking, but it was too late. Nadal was unapproachable, even under a sense of comfort. He closed the set again with an outside foul, this time a double foul, via a 2-6 that forced his opponent into Homeric heroism.
The Dutchman rose up against adversity with a ‘pause’ of pride, but his revolt lasted a breath, forcing Nadal to return the coin to the first exchange. The Spanish goal came through the most exciting point of the match with 2-3, but not enough, because surprisingly enough, Manacor’s service failed to close the game. With all lost, Van de Zandschulp arrested him to force the tiebreak and save three match balls before dying with his boots on. Skip now for American Taylor Fritz. There are outstanding accounts of the Indian Wells final this season (3-6 and 6-7). Another boost for Spain’s last hopes at Wimbledon.
Source: La Verdad
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