'Should be banned': Rafa Nadal sparks bizarre French Open controversy
Rafael Nadal is at the centre of a bizarre outfit controversy, with fans questioning the legality of his shirt colour at the French Open.
The 11-time champion was sporting a fluoro yellow top as he began his quest for a 12th crown on Monday, blasting past German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2 6-1 6-3.
However, there was some controversy during the match when multiple fans took to social media complaining about the colour of his shirt.
The bright yellow fabric was strikingly similar to the colour of the tennis balls, which many thought was off-putting for Hanfmann.
The criticism was focused around the idea that Hanfmann could lose sight of the ball should it pass in front of Nadal’s shirt on its way over the net.
Some fans thought the colour should be banned.
Watching the French Open- Rafa Nadal is wearing a tennis ball yellow shirt. How on earth is that possibly legal?
— Bruce Simon (@therealbdsimon) May 27, 2019
Nadal’s shirt SHOULD be banned, that’s an unfair advantage. I applaud him for wearing that ugly color in the Desire for an advantage but it shouldn’t be allowed to happen
— Edward Heppner (@E_heppner31) May 27, 2019
Do you think it gives an unfair advantage with the fact that the ball can get lost in the shirt tho?
— Edward Heppner (@E_heppner31) May 27, 2019
That #Nadal shirt is giving the camera folks @rolandgarros fits. #IrisIssues @TennisChannel pic.twitter.com/F1xT3ouiir
— Paul Jones (@PaulJonesNBC5) May 27, 2019
The topic was even discussed on the Tennis Channel after the match.
Interesting conversation on the Tennis Channel about Nadal’s neon yellow Nike shirt. It matches the ball perfectly, and some are saying it could be an advantage. (Lol as if dude needs an advantage at Roland Garros.)
— Max Weiss (@maxthegirl) May 27, 2019
It’s far from the first outfit controversy at Roland Garros, with Roger Federer and Serena Williams also causing a stir with their fashion choices.
Brutal early statements
The surroundings looked slightly different but Nadal was his usual brutal self on a revamped Court Philippe Chatrier.
Nadal has lost only two matches at the claycourt grand slam since debuting in 2005 and winning the title.
It would have been the upset of all time if Hanfmann, ranked 180th in the world and playing his first Roland Garros match, had joined Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic on that tiny list and it never remotely looked like happening.
The Spaniard bristled with energy and menace as he went through his repertoire and, after an unusual amount of claycourt losses in the build-up to the tournament, looked razor sharp.
"I don't see any difference playing tennis here," Nadal said of the sweeping changes to the main showcourt which was ripped apart after his final victory over Dominic Thiem last year.
He will face another qualifier named Yannick from Germany in round two, this time Yannick Maden.
Djokovic's match against 44th-ranked Hurkacz looked a much tougher proposition as he began his attempt to become the first man in the professional era to hold all four Grand Slam titles for a second time.
He was clinical though and after breaking serve in the opening game he floated through to a second round clash against Swiss Henri Laaksonen.
"A break of serve in the first game gave me wings and relaxed me a bit so I could just start off in the best possible fashion," the world No.1 said.
Two men's shocks saw Russian Daniil Medvedev, seeded 12th, surrender a two-set lead to lose to French doubles specialist Pierre-Hugues Herbert while Canadian Denis Shapovalov, the 20-year-old 20th seed, lost to German Jan-Lennard Struff.
Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, and last year's runner-up Dominic Thiem both went through unscathed.
with AAP