The heavier atmosphere could negate some of Nadal’s lethal topspin as he heads into the event without a clay title under his belt for the first time.
Rafael Nadal embarks Monday on what he has described as his “most difficult ever Roland Garros” while Serena Williams launches another attempt to clinch an elusive 24th Grand Slam title on her least successful surface.
Nadal, the undisputed king of clay, needs one more major to equal Roger Federer’s record of 20, but the Spaniard comes to Paris short of preparation and unhappy with the French Open’s choice of new balls.
“The conditions here are probably the most difficult conditions for me ever at Roland Garros for so many different facts,” said the world number two.
The heavier atmosphere could negate some of Nadal’s lethal topspin as he heads into the event without a clay title under his belt for the first time.
The second seed is not pleased the French Open has switched to a new ball supplier and even believes it could pose physical problems for the players.
“I really believe that the organisation needs to take a look at that for the next couple of years, for the health of the players, too, because the ball is super heavy and becomes dangerous for the elbow and for the shoulders,” said Nadal.
However, a first-time meeting with Egor Gerasimov, the world number 83 from Belarus, is unlikely to trouble him.
US Open champion Dominic Thiem, the man beaten by Nadal in the final in Paris the past two years, starts his campaign against another former Grand Slam winner, Marin Cilic.
Read more article on Citizen News
Nadal, the undisputed king of clay, needs one more major to equal Roger Federer’s record of 20, but the Spaniard comes to Paris short of preparation and unhappy with the French Open’s choice of new balls.
“The conditions here are probably the most difficult conditions for me ever at Roland Garros for so many different facts,” said the world number two.
The heavier atmosphere could negate some of Nadal’s lethal topspin as he heads into the event without a clay title under his belt for the first time.
The second seed is not pleased the French Open has switched to a new ball supplier and even believes it could pose physical problems for the players.
“I really believe that the organisation needs to take a look at that for the next couple of years, for the health of the players, too, because the ball is super heavy and becomes dangerous for the elbow and for the shoulders,” said Nadal.
However, a first-time meeting with Egor Gerasimov, world number 83 from Belarus, is unlikely to trouble him.
US Open champion Dominic Thiem, the man beaten by Nadal in the final in Paris the past two years, starts his campaign against another former Grand Slam winner, Marin Cilic.
Read more article on Citizen News