It’s time for doubts for Rafael Nadal, beaten in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Rome, Thursday May 12. Visibly reduced at the foot and grimacing on the court, the Spaniard fell to Canadian Denis Shapovalov in three sets 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. A match from another time was played between Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka. The Swiss, who is gradually recovering from a long injury, was no match for the Serb, who qualified for the quarter-finals of the Rome tournament for the sixteenth consecutive time.
Quarter-finals that Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev will also play, both easy winners. Stefanos Tsitsipas will also be there, as will Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek for women. The Belarusian and the Polish made short work of their respective opponents.
Nadal diminished and eliminated by Shapovalov
Images that are rare from Rafael Nadal. While he won the first set at the level we know him to be, the Spaniard then experienced more difficulties. The fault, in particular, of a chronic foot injury. He then conceded the second set after a battle of more than an hour, before giving in completely in a final one-sided game (1-6, 7-5, 6-2).
Grinning, reassuring and gradually out of his match, the Mallorcan did not reassure as his annual meeting at Roland-Garros approaches. Nadal will have a little over a week to recover from this elimination in the second round in Rome and especially from this injury, which could reshuffle the cards for the French tournament.
Djokovic easily beats a Wawrinka not yet developed
Stan Wawrinka recently returned to the league after not playing for an entire year due to two foot surgeries, and it showed on Thursday. The 37-year-old Swiss, former world number 3, is not yet ready to face big names like Novak Djokovic. The Serb made short work of his former rival, with a victory in two sets (6-2, 6-2).
Sweet 1️⃣6️⃣ for Djokovic
He defeats Wawrinka 6-2 6-2 & has now reached the QFs in Rome every year since 2007!@DjokerNole | @InteBNLdItalia | #IBI22 pic.twitter.com/wboOfmHrsU
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 12, 2022
Following his victory, a remake of the 2008 final of the Rome tournament already won by the Serb, Djokovic had a nice word for Wawrinka: “He was not 100% physically. But it’s Stan Wawrinka, you have to give him time and he will come back well.” In the quarter-finals, Djokovic faces Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Marcos Giron on Thursday (6-3, 6-2).
Zverev and Sinner without forcing, Tsitsipas narrowly
The German Alexander Zverev enforced the hierarchy. On the Nicola Pietrangeli court, number 3 in the ATP rankings defeated the young Australian Alex de Minaur in two sets (6-3, 7-6), winning his hundredth victory on the ATP 1000 circuit. the German will face the winner of the match between Martin Cilic and Cristian Garin.
The first known quarter-final of this Masters 1000, in the men’s draw, is the one that will see Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner compete. The first still had to fight to win. After his fragile victory against Grigor Dimitrov on Wednesday, the Greek conceded a set to Russian Karen Khachanov before winning the next two (4-6, 6-0, 6-3).
QUARTER FINALSSSSSS!!@janniksin reaches for the first time the last 8 in Rome
Sinner – Krajinovic 6-2 7-6#IBI22 | #tennis pic.twitter.com/gmsKdhuH3K
— Internazionali Bnl (@InteBNLdItalia) May 12, 2022
The world number 5 will therefore be measured in the next round against the young Italian Jannik Sinner (20 years old). The latter had no trouble getting rid of Serbian Filip Krajinovic in two sets (6-2, 7-6). Sinner and Tsitsipas previously met in the quarter-finals this year at the Australian Open. The Greek emerged victorious from this confrontation against the Italian, who will this time be supported by the Roman public.
Easy Swiatek and Sabalenka
Easy start to the tournament for Iga Swiatek. After three weeks of absence, the world number 1 easily won yesterday for her entry into the running against the Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse. The Polish did it again on Thursday, this time against Victoria Azarenka. The Belarusian’s experience was no match for Swiatek, winner in two sets (6-4, 6-1) and who at the same time won a 25th consecutive victory on the circuit.
Tennis players to win 25 consecutive matches since 2000:
Hologic @WTA Round
✅ V.Williams
✅ S.Williams
✅ Henin
✅ Azarenka
✅ @iga_swiatek@atptour
✅ Federer
✅ Nadal
✅ Djokovic
✅ Murray pic.twitter.com/zpIyHgsMCW—wta (@WTA) May 12, 2022
The young Polish (20) will face Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals. Same observation for Aryna Sabalenka, who easily defeated the American Jessica Pegula (6-1, 6-4). Sabalenka will find a new American in the next round, Amanda Anisimova, who fell for her compatriot Danielle Collins.