A year ago, Korda had a great chance to defeat Rafael Nadal in the desert, leading 5-2 in the decider on two serves. However, Nadal came back and scored a 6-2, 1-6 and 7-6 victory in two and a half hours. The American had victory in his hands, playing well in the second set and building a huge lead in the decider.
However, he broke down under pressure and made too many mistakes at crucial moments. Rafa won five more points than Sebastian and saved seven of eleven break chances to prolong the match and remain competitive. The Spaniard converted four of six break points and overcame terrible periods in sets two and three to avoid his earliest elimination since Shanghai 2016.
The three-time champion broke twice in the first set to carve out a 4-0 lead, playing well and closing it with a hold at 5-2. Sebastian raised his level against his idol and dominated the second set to force a decider and showcase his best game.
With everything going for him, the young tennis player opened a 5-2 lead in the final set, shooting from both sides and moving within a game of his career-best victory. Rafa recovered his game at the last moment, recovered a break in the eighth game and repeated at 4-5 to close the result at 5-5.
Nadal made a forehand error in the eleventh game and found himself on a break point that could have cost him the match. He saved it after a big forehand error from Korda to reach the tie break, becoming the favorite down the stretch of the match.
Sebastian sent out a backhand at 3-2 and lost momentum.
Rafa started playing tennis at the age of 4
Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal recently weighed in on his nephew’s upbringing and what made him extremely likable as a trainee.
“Rafael was always a very docile boy,” Toni said. “He was uncomplicated and obedient, someone you could say things to without question. He wasn’t trying to embarrass you like other kids who have a harder time obeying do. You said something to him, and you saw that he immediately had the predisposition to do it.
That is something that a coach or teacher appreciates a lot,” he added. “It is due to the education that his parents instilled in him and, obviously, to his way of doing things. I, for example, would never have let him intentionally break a racquet, because that is my way of understanding the world.
But the fact that he didn’t throw it away is a matter of the education that his parents gave him.”
