Tennis world goes bonkers over Rafa Nadal moment at French Open
Rafa Nadal has sent the tennis world into meltdown with an extraordinary winner in his second-round victory at the French Open on Wednesday.
The Spanish champion recorded his 300th victory at grand slam level, beating Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.
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Roger Federer (369) and Novak Djokovic (325) are the only men to have more grand slam match wins than the 21-time major champion.
His French Open record now stands at a staggering 107 wins and just three losses since his 2005 title-winning debut.
"I think it was a good match against a very difficult player with lots of talent," said Nadal, whose build-up to the tournament was hampered by a foot injury.
"The last couple of months haven't been easy. The victories help a lot."
Despite his injury concerns, Nadal wound back the clock in the second set with an extraordinary winner.
Moutet ran Nadal all around the court and looked destined to win the point when he produced a well-placed drop shot.
But Nadal stunned fans with a staggering winner on the run, flicking the ball over the net and past an exasperated Moutet.
"How did he make that?" one commentator said on Eurosport.
He is a magician on CLAY!
— Obeth Joy Chariath (@ObethJoyChariat) May 25, 2022
Dudes a beast!! 🏆
— MeC2= (@a_crowlely) May 25, 2022
Moutet not even playing bad, but Rafa being Rafa.
— aritra roy (@aritrabvb1909) May 25, 2022
Nadal is so freaking good at passing shots.
— Owen (@tennisnation) May 25, 2022
the ball hitting in this nadal v moutet match is insane
— mimi🧍🏻♀️| apo tsitsi + tim mevel 💍💋 (@rafastefbaes) May 25, 2022
Novak Djokovic advances to third round
Meanwhile, Djokovic made comfortable work of Slovakia's Alex Molcan, the World No.1 winning 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4) against a player trained by his long-time former coach Marian Vajda - the man who inspired most of his 20 grand slam titles.
"So far so good. I'm pleased with the way I'm feeling on the court," Djokovic said after reaching the last 32 at Roland Garros for the 17th straight year.
"It was never going to be an easy match, but I thought I performed very well.
"Everything is going in the right direction. I'm looking forward to the next challenge."
The top seed will continue his bid for a third Roland Garros crown against Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene in the last 32.
However it wasn't as easy for third and sixth seeds Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz, who both had to save match points to advance.
Alcaraz, widely tipped as a title contender, rallied from the brink to defeat compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas to win 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 after four hours and 34 minutes.
"I feel tired," said Alcaraz. "It was a great battle, a great match and we fought until the last point."
The 19-year-old is attempting to become just the eighth teenager to capture a major men's title, and widely backed as the man to break the stranglehold of Djokovic and Nadal.
Zverev, a semi-finalist in Paris last year, dug himself out of a deep hole against Argentina's Sebastian Baez to avoid his earliest loss at a major in three years.
The World No.3 overcame Baez 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 and will play Brandon Nakashima of the US for a place in the last 16.
"I'm happy still being in the tournament right now," said Zverev, who was match point down on serve at 4-5 in the final set.
"I was planning my holiday in Monaco, where I was going to go and who I was going to with and that relaxed me, thinking about the beach.
"You just have to find a way."
with agencies
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