Rafael Nadal advanced into the third round at Roland Garros for the 18th time from as many trips to Paris. Rafa ousted Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and nine minutes in the night session on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Thus, the Spaniard earned his 107th Roland Garros victory from 110 encounters and became the third player with 300 Major wins after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Rafa and Corentin met for the first time, and a 21-time Major winner was too strong for the Frenchman.
Nadal lost serve twice and turned almost half of the return points into seven breaks from 12 opportunities, enough to emerge at the top in straight sets. Rafa fired 27 winners and 22 unforced errors and forged the victory in the mid-range exchanges from five to eight shots.
He had the upper hand in the shortest rallies, and Moutet only stayed in touch in the most advanced ones. The Spaniard closed the encounter’s opening game with a service winner and grabbed a break in the next one after Moutet’s double fault.
Rafael Nadal secured his 300th Major victory at Roland Garros.
Rafa grabbed the third game with a drop shot winner, and Corentin held at love a few minutes later to add his name to the scoreboard. Both players served well in the rest of the set, and that early break proved crucial for Nadal.
He held at 30 in game nine with a booming forehand to claim the opener 6-3 in 41 minutes. The Spaniard painted a forehand crosscourt winner at the start of the second set for a break and an early advantage. He grabbed another break in game three with a forehand down the line winner and held at love for a 4-0 lead in no time.
A left-handed Frenchman experienced the third break of the set at 1-5 after the Spaniard’s drop shot winner. Thus, Rafa opened a 6-3, 6-1 advantage in 80 minutes and marched toward the finish line. Corentin made a better start in the third set and broke Rafa at 15 in the first game after the Spaniard’s loose forehand.
Nadal netted a backhand in the second game to fall 2-0 behind before holding at 15 in the next one. Rafa landed a forehand crosscourt winner in the fourth game for a break chance and secured it after the opponent’s wayward forehand.
Nadal held at 15 in game five and missed a routine volley at the net in the next one. A 13-time winner grabbed a break at love in game eight with a volley winner at the net and served for the victory. It was not to be for him on that occasion, though.
Moutet created a break chance with a forehand crosscourt winner, and Nadal saved it to prolong the game. The Frenchman seized the second break point after the Spaniard’s loose backhand to keep his chances alive and reduce the deficit to 4-5.
Corentin faced match points on serve in game ten, and Rafa converted the first after the rival’s lob error for a place in the third round and a Major win number 300!
