French Open 2017: Rafael Nadal wary of Stan Wawrinka's shot-making
| French Open men’s final |
|---|
| Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Date: Sunday, 11 June Time: 14:00 BST |
| Coverage: Live radio commentary and text coverage on BBC Radio 5 live, the BBC Sport website and app. |
Rafael Nadal must overcome the spectacular shot-making of Stan Wawrinka if he is to win a record 10th French Open title on Sunday.
The Spaniard, 31, will become the first player in the open era to win a Grand Slam title 10 times if he wins.
Swiss third seed Wawrinka hit 87 winners as he beat world number one Andy Murray in the semi-finals.
“It’s true that when he hits hard, he hits really hard. Stopping him can be difficult,” said Nadal.
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“I know he’s dangerous when he plays aggressively, so I need to limit his possibilities.
“I will play very aggressively, and I don’t want him to take control – easy to say, but it may not be that easy to do.”
Revenge is not part of my vocab – Nadal
Nadal has yet to drop a set in Paris, reaching the final for the loss of just 29 games over six matches.
His record at Roland Garros now stands at 78 match wins and two defeats since he won his first title in 2005.
However, injury problems hampered his chances in recent years and he has not won a major title since his last French Open triumph in 2014.
Victory would bring Nadal his 15th Grand Slam title, moving him above Pete Sampras into second on the all-time list, behind Roger Federer on 18.
It would also deliver the French Open for the 10th time; only Margaret Court, with 11 Australian Open titles, has won one of the Grand Slam trophies more often.
Nadal has been keen to talk down any pressure surrounding the possibility of a 10th triumph at the tournament, saying: “I think I don’t make more history, it’s enough. Nine are more than good.”
He can take confidence from a record of 15 wins from 18 meetings with Wawrinka, but the Swiss has won three of the last six, including his first Grand Slam win in the 2014 Australian Open final.
“Revenge is not part of my vocab,” said Nadal. “I don’t think it would be the right thing to do to see it as a revenge.”
Mentally when I’m there, I’m tough to beat – Wawrinka
Wawrinka has continued his habit of peaking for at least one Grand Slam tournament a year since that breakthrough win in Australia in 2014.
The Swiss then won the French Open in 2015, and last year added the US Open, leaving him tied with Murray on three majors and within reach of a career Grand Slam at Wimbledon.
It has been a remarkable transformation in the latter years of his career.
“Mentally, when I arrive on a big tournament or in a big match, it’s like closing, switching off everything in my body except my brain, which I put in winning mode,” he said.
“Of course, I can lose, but I think I’m extremely confident about what I do, about how I feel, about all the hard work I have accomplished over the past days, weeks, months, years.
“I know that mentally when I’m there, it’s difficult to beat me.”
Wawrinka is on an 11-match wining streak, having defended his title at Geneva prior to Roland Garros, but knows he faces a different examination on Sunday.
“I think to play Rafa on clay in the French Open in a final is probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis,” said Wawrinka.
“He’s the best player ever on clay.
“When you play Rafa in the French Open, you’re never the favourite.
“If you lose, it’s almost normal. But of course you don’t want to lose a Grand Slam final, do you?
“So I’m going to look for solutions, and I’ll have to be physically and mentally present and be strong.”