Rafa's Reign Rocked In Paris

Of all the potential upsets lurking around the second day of the French Open, one match where the bookmakers certainly weren’t taking many bets was the encounter between seven time champion Rafael Nadal and world number 59 Daniel Brands.

Like Rodger Federer on the opening day, the Philippe Chatrier crowd anticipated a one sided master class from the so called king of clay but it’s the 6 foot 5 German they will remember, his booming severe and blistering forehand came just points away from a 2 sets to 0 lead against the seven time champion threatening the biggest shock possible.

Nadal survives an early and unexpected scare

After a thrilling 2 hours 54 minutes the match may not have finished in the fairy tale ending for Brands and the Chatrier crowd, as he passed up a 3-0 lead in a nervy second set tie-break missing the possibility of a two set lead. Nadal was unscathed from there, taking the match 4-6 7-6(4) 6-4 6-3 to embark on his title defence.

Despite his immaculate start to the year reaching eight out eight finals Nadal was playing his first Grand Slam match since his defeat to Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon last year, following eight months away from the sport with a knee injury.

Returning to his beloved Roland Garros for the first time since breaking Bjorn Borg’s record  last year, Nadal’s opening match couldn’t have looked more one sided, the number three seed had only lost once in the French capital, while Brands had failed to win a match at Roland Garros losing in four previous first round matches.

With Nadal serving first the crowd waited for the break of serve which would allow him to run away with the set. But it didn’t come. Unfazed by the occasion Brands refused to budge; his serving was immaculate as he mopped up the Spaniard’s returns with his sweltering forehand and skills at the net.

Brands serve volleyed his way out of multiple break points, giving Nadal plenty to think about. With the pair locked at 4-4 the pressure told, the seven times Champion served two double faults in one game to hand the break the way of the German whose level showed no signs of dropping as he astonishingly served out the first set.

The second set was now key and although Nadal was rarely troubled on his own serve he was unable to hold off the barrage of winners Brands was hitting when serving. The German’s all-round game was now beginning to sparkle as he forced a second set tie-break.

Two hammering forehands from Brands saw him race into a 3-0 lead. The reigning champion was on the ropes. The momentum shift came at 3-2, a menacing serve from the German forced Nadal off the court where he slipped; with an open court to aim for Brands dumped a back hand into the net meaning they swapped sides at 3-3 in the breaker.

Against Nadal there are rarely second chances, his level abruptly moved up a gear to clinch the tie-break and steer the match into his control.

The mental strength of Brands was to be tested to the maximum, as he was broken in the first game of the third. But to his credit he kept on fighting creating a set point of his own; however it was quickly snubbed out by the clinical Nadal.

A single break was enough for the Spaniard to seal the third set and it was a similar story in the fourth, Brands’ shots lacked that extra threat they had in the first two sets.

Brands was broken his first game of the fourth and the final game of the match to conclude his short but longer the expected tournament, as he put up a stern fight against the toughest possible opponent.

Nadal has always made it clear that he doesn’t underestimate any of his opponents, and it was a good job he didn’t as he remains the red hot favourite to retain his title for an unprecedented eighth time.