By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, May 26, 2015

 

Rafael Nadal defeated French wild card Quentin Halys, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, raising his Roland Garros record to 67-1.

Photo credit: Roland Garros

Rafael Nadal's blue period began today on the Roland Garros red clay.

Clad completely in an indigo outfit right down to the baby blue socks, Nadal painted the corners with his forehand, dabbed some dazzling shotmaking and moved fluidly dismissing French wild card Quentin Halys, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

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"When I had the chance to play normal points, I think I changed good directions with my forehand, very good forehand down the line," Nadal said in his post-match press conference. "After the first three games that I started a little bit slow, then I start moving the ball better. I am happy the way that I played, no? [It] is the first match and I played enough well, and I think my forehand worked well for a lot of moments."

Bearing the unfamiliar No. 6 seed next to his name — the lowest seeding of his Roland Garros career — Nadal continues his quest for a 10th French Open title against compatriot Nicolas Almagro in the second round.

Three-time Roland Garros quarterfinalist Almagro defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) on Court 7. Nadal has won 12 of 13 meetings with Almagro, including nine of their 10 clay-court clashes.

In his 55th appearance on court Philippe Chatrier, Nadal dropped just nine points on his first serve and faced only two break points against an overmatched teenage debutant.

The 296th-ranked wild card was a comfortable opening opponent for Nadal. Understandably nervous in his Grand Slam main-draw debut, the 18-year-old Frenchman flagged a wild forehand to drop serve in the opening game.

A horrid three double-fault game, including one on break point, saw Halys donate a second break and 4-1 lead. But the former junior world No. 3 rapped a biting forehand to break back for 2-4.

Quick off the mark, Nadal surged forward to run down a drop shot then soared for this spinning backhand overhead, turning the toughest shot in tennis into an opportunity for creative brilliance in the seventh game.



Targeting the teenager's two-handed backhand, Nadal drew a netted error breaking for the third time to seal the opening set.

Earning break point in the second game of the second set, Nadal seemed ready to roll. Halys had an answer.

The 2014 Roland Garros junior doubles champion can thump his serve, rake his forehand and he's not afraid to operate in the front court. Halys whipped an ace down the middle to erase break point, eventually sliding his third ace to earn an empowering hold for 1-1.

Halys plastered the baseline with a driving return earning breaking point in the third game. The shot was initially called out, chair umpire Jake Garner checked the mark and ruled it good, giving Halys the point. Nadal questioned Garner briefly, shook off the call then played an aggressive point to save it. That was Halys's final break-point chance of the day.

Trying to exploit his opponent's deep return position, Halys tried to serve and volley, but a stretching Nadal stabbed a return that buzzed by the Frenchman, breaking for 4-2.

The forehand down the line can be a barometer of Nadal's confidence. When he's stepping in and driving that shot, he can finish points abruptly. Twisting a crackling forehand winner down the line, Nadal served out the second set at love.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion broke for a 3-2 third-set lead and never looked back. Nadal won 20 of 23 points played on his serve in the third set and crunched 11 of his 26 winners in the set.

When Halys pasted a final return into net, Nadal was through to round two, raising his Roland Garros to 67-1.