World number 2 Rafael Nadal is through for the 15th time in 16 games in Paris up to the last 16. Nadal defeated Stefano Travaglia 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 to stay on course for the title. He spent an hour and 35 minutes in the square under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier.
It was Nadal’s 96th victory in Paris after 98 games. He played at a high level from start to finish and never made a mistake. The Spaniard lost 13 points in his games, never faced a breakpoint and ended the encounter with 28 winners and 13 easy mistakes, enough to leave the opponent far behind.
Travaglia lost more than half the points behind the first shot and was broken six times after Rafa had seven chances to end his journey in the third round. Nadal fired from all cylinders and picked up where he had left for the last two laps.
He dropped two points behind the first shot in the opening set to put pressure on the other side. The defending champion met nine winners and three casual mistakes, never faced a breakpoint and converted both on the return to 6-1.
Rafa made a forehand down the line to end the opening game and earned a break in game two when Travaglia made a forehand mistake to gain an early advantage. Nadal scored one good blow after another and ended the third game with a serve winner.
After nine of twelve points, he achieved a 3-0 lead in nine minutes. Stefano won his serve in game four when Nadal made a backhand mistake and put his name on the scoreboard, hoping for some chances on the return.
Instead, Rafa fired a forehand to win his service game. He punished every shorter ball his opponent had and looked absolutely solid so far. The defending champion broke his opponent’s serve in the sixth game to increase the advantage and placed a forehand winner in the next for winning his service game and 6-1 in 23 minutes.
Travaglia only got two points on their return in the first set, increased the number to nine in the second set, but still didn’t have a chance of a break.
Rafael Nadal is in the round of 16 without losing a set
Nadal had 12 winners and seven unforced mistakes and made a break that gave him a two-set lead to zero.
Stefano won his service game in the first game with a service winner. He was already repeating what he’d done in the entire first set and came back with two points in game two. The Italian hit another non-returned serve in the third game, with Nadal making it 2-2 with a booming serve of his own.
Travaglia secured the fifth game, looking good behind the first shot and spoiling it all 3-3 when Nadal made a break after a sharp return his rival couldn’t control.
Rafa confirmed the break with two winners at Deuce in the eighth game and shot three winners 5-4 to end the set and remove one set from the triumph after 69 minutes. Travaglia hit the net in the first game of the third set to give away the serve before Nadal landed an ace on the T-line to extend the lead and get closer to the finish line.
Rafa made another break in game three with a forehand winner in the net and won his game with a serve winner to forge a 4-0 gap. The Spaniard made a forehand in the fifth game to steal the rival’s serve and sealed the deal a few minutes later to score a 6-0 and advance to the round of 16.
