Staring down Rafael Nadal on clay is one of the biggest challenges of modern sport. Doing so on Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland Garros’ centre court, has proven nearly mission impossible.

But in the first round at 2011 Roland Garros, John Isner became the first man to take the Spaniard to a fifth set in Paris. Nadal had five Coupes des Mousquetaires under his belt and a 38-1 record in the French capital — his only loss at Roland Garros had come against Robin Soderling in 2009 — but the big-serving American pushed the lefty to the brink.

Although Nadal would eventually see off the Isner threat, it certainly rocked Nadal’s boat at a venue where he was used to calm waters.

The battle was the epitome of tension, an even match that the Spaniard eventually won 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4. After more than four hours of hard work, the Spaniard was still fending off the American’s serve, which, even on the slow surface, proved a lethal weapon.

“It was like a penalty shootout”, Nadal reflected. “Isner’s serve is practically unstoppable at the moment. In the tie-break, you’re playing under huge pressure all the time.”

The American, who connected with 13 aces and took two one-sided tiebreaks, proved a tough nut to crack in the first round of the tournament.

Nadal was rewriting the history of the event and there was one chapter he did not want to add to the book — no Roland Garros champion has lost in the first round the year after claiming the crown. That afternoon in Paris, challenged by his opponent’s vicious serve, the Spaniard’s reflexes and concentration were relentlessly tested.

“The matches are always very close against John because he makes you play with no room for error,” admitted the Spaniard. “At times, in the tie-breaks, I didn’t play well. I was too nervous. He was a very tough opponent for me. I would like to congratulate him on a great match.”

Nadal found another gear when he needed it the most. With his back against the wall and no room for error against an intimidating rival, the Mallorcan produced a great stretch of focus in Paris. In the fourth set, he did not make an unforced error, forcing a deciding set.

With no final-set tiebreak, there were plenty of nerves for everyone involved. But the Spaniard drew on the confidence from his strong fourth set and rode that to victory.

“The way he played in the fourth and fifth set… I had never seen tennis like that,” Isner said. “That’s why he’s the World No. 1 and one of the best players of all-time”.

The sheer effort from the players is testament to the demands of the match.

“At 30/30 in the final game, I needed oxygen. I nearly collapsed. My legs were gone,” Isner said.

Nadal was pushed to the limit, but the champion battled back even harder.

Rafael Nadal released Monday a video on his social media showing the world the first footage of himself back at practice in Mallorca at his Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar.

Happy to be back on my practices and happy for the kids at the @rnadalacademy who can also play. Here some footage from today ????? pic.twitter.com/aPtZzj30ks

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) May 25, 2020

“Hello everyone, here I am, finally back on court. Happy to be back to my practices,” Nadal said. “I’m super happy, too, that the kids can practise again here at the Rafa Nadal Academy. They are happy, and that’s the most important thing.”

Under normal circumstances, Nadal would be in Paris, chasing a 13th Roland Garros title. But due to the spread of COVID-19, the clay-court Grand Slam is not being held as scheduled, and tournament organisers are now hoping to stage the event later this year. Nadal first posted an image of himself back at practice on 22 May.

Here I am, the first pictures I am posting for you on court.
This is my practice earlier today at @rnadalacademy #BackOnCourt #BabolatFamily ?????? pic.twitter.com/x7tzgLj9pc

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) May 22, 2020

Editor’s Note: But for the COVID-19 pandemic, Roland Garros would now be underway. During the next two weeks ATPTour.com will look back on memorable matches and happenings at the clay-court Grand Slam, which tournament organisers are now hoping to stage in September.

It was always going to be a question of when and not if Marat Safin announced his arrival on Tour. That moment came in his Grand Slam debut at 1998 Roland Garros, when the 18-year-old Russian qualifier stunned Andre Agassi 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 and handed the American his first opening-round defeat in Paris.

Agassi was enjoying a career resurgence and had already climbed from No. 110 to No. 20 that year in the FedEx ATP Rankings. But he struggled to find his footing that day, committing 82 unforced errors and allowing the fearless Russian to dictate their baseline rallies.

“He didn’t serve so well the last three sets,” Safin said. “But his other shots were very good – forehand, backhand. So it doesn’t matter if he serves good or serves bad.”

Safin, then No. 116 in the rankings, already possessed some of the biggest groundstrokes in the game. Although he was still learning how to reign his power in, his knockout punches landed on Court Suzanne Lenglen as the crowd gasped at the speed of his winners.

Meanwhile, Agassi lamented not playing more aggressively against his opponent. He cited a shoulder injury and said he didn’t feel comfortable swinging out in the latter stages of the match.

“My normal play would be taking a lot of those balls in the air and finishing the point,” Agassi said. “With my shoulder hurting, I was letting those balls drop. I just didn’t close them out.”

Safin’s draw didn’t exactly open up after his breakthrough win. After learning he would face defending champion and No. 8 seed Gustavo Kuerten in the next round, the teenager mentally booked a flight back home.

“I’m not ready to win this tournament,” Safin declared. “I’m very happy to be in the second round, but for sure I will not beat Kuerten.”

But the qualifier did just that, stunning Kuerten in five sets and going on to reach the fourth round. Two years later, Safin secured his first Grand Slam at the 2000 US Open and became World No. 1 two months later.

Agassi’s lowest moment in Paris would be followed by his greatest one. He returned the following year and scored a five-set win over Andrei Medvedev in the championship match to complete his Career Grand Slam, joining Rod Laver as the only men in the Open Era at that time to accomplish the feat.

Editor’s Note: But for the COVID-19 pandemic, Roland Garros would be now underway. During the next two week’s ATPTour.com will look back on memorable matches and happenings at the clay-court Grand Slam, which tournament organisers are hoping to stage later in the year.

Marco Trungelliti began his 2018 ATP Tour season with two goals. Alongside his ambition to enjoy a breakout year, the Argentine also wanted to reach the main draw at Roland Garros for the third straight season.

Trungelliti entered the tournament with confidence, having won eight consecutive matches from qualifying to claim his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Barletta in April. But the 5’10” right-hander fell just short of his goal, losing in three sets to Hubert Hurkacz in the final qualifying round.

“Even though I had come this close to one of my goals, I was still at peace with the outcome,” said Trungelliti. “I felt secure about my level of play and just happy with what I had accomplished so far [in 2018].”

Following his loss, Trungelliti eventually made it back to Barcelona on a delayed flight, where he had relocated a few months earlier with his wife Nadir. His mother, Susi, his grandmother, Lela, and his brother, Andre, were also waiting there. His family had made the trip from Argentina, with plans to see him play in Paris.

Plan B was soon created, with sightseeing, trips to the beach and barbecue food at the top of the agenda. But one conversation would soon throw those ideas out of the window. During a call with his coach on Sunday morning, the Argentine was told he could still make the main draw in Paris as a lucky loser.

“Grandma, change of plans, pack your bags, we’re going to Paris,” said Trungelliti.

With train strikes and the risk of further flight delays, Trungelliti made the decision to take the trip in his rented Seat Ibiza. With his mother and grandmother in the back seats, Trungelliti and his brother shared driving duties for the 10-hour trip to the French capital. All he had to do was sign in the following morning and he would book his place in the first round against Bernard Tomic at 11am on Court 9.

After arriving at his hotel around midnight, the 28-year-old managed just five hours of sleep before his encounter with the former Top 20 star. But that didn’t stop him from earning a memorable victory and a place in the second round for the third straight year.

With his 88-year-old grandmother sitting courtside for the first time, unable to keep score, Trungelliti moved past the Aussie in four sets.

“This isn’t the first Grand Slam match I’ve won, but what makes it so special is having my family around me to witness this marvellous moment… I don’t know if what I’ve accomplished is that big a deal; what’s important is that I’ve enjoyed every moment of what led up to this with my family by my side,” said Trungelliti.

Trungelliti’s journey was ended in the second round. The Argentine lost in straight sets to Marco Cecchinato, who went on to defeat Novak Djokovic to reach his maiden Grand Slam semi-final.

From one Marco to another, both players will look back on their remarkable 2018 trips to Paris with fond memories.

Roland Garros would typically make its mark at this time of year as the only Grand Slam to begin main draw action on Sunday. Although the tournament was moved this year to September because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still plenty of unforgettable memories to reflect on.

From Rafael Nadal’s first Grand Slam title to Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic completing their respective career Grand Slams, ATPTour.com looks back on some of the greatest moments of this event.

1968: A New Beginning
The 1968 Roland Garros tournament marked the first Grand Slam tournament of the Open Era and the first major championship that allowed professionals to compete against amateurs. The final featured an all-Aussie clash between top seed Rod Laver and second seed Ken Rosewall, who hadn’t competed in a Grand Slam since 1962 and 1956, respectively. Rosewall held off a mid-match comeback from Laver to prevail 6-3, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 and lift his second title in Paris after a 15-year wait.

Laver would get revenge on his countryman the following year, scoring a convincing straight-sets win in the final en route to achieving the calendar-year Grand Slam.

1974: Borg’s Breakthrough
Bjorn Borg made his Grand Slam debut at 1973 Roland Garros and turned heads by reaching the fourth round. The mellow Swede returned the following year and captured his first Grand Slam title, showing off supreme fitness by winning a pair of five-set matches to reach the final and rallying from two sets down to outlast Manuel Orantes 2-6, 6-7, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1. At 18 years, three months, he became the youngest male champion in tournament history at that time.

Borg would rack up five more Roland Garros titles (1975, 1978-81) and holds a 49-2 record at this event. He also achieved the legendary feat of winning three Roland Garros-Wimbledon title doubles (1978-1980) and remains one of only two male players in the Open Era (Rafael Nadal; 2008, 2010) to accomplish this.

1989: Chang’s Historic Run
More than 30 years later, sports fans still talk about Michael Chang’s legendary match in Paris. Trailing by two sets and a break in his fourth-round clash against top seed Ivan Lendl, the 17-year-old American fought through intense cramps to level the match. Unable to use his legs while serving, he shocked the crowd and his opponent in the fifth set with a desperate underarm serve that proved successful. At match point, Chang moved up to within inches of the service line and rattled Lendl enough to produce a double fault.

Seven days later, Chang beat Stefan Edberg in a five-set thriller to become the youngest-ever male Grand Slam champion. Although it would remain his only major trophy, he enjoyed a long and fruitful career that saw him earn 34 tour-level titles and peak at No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

1997: Kuerten’s Fairyale
Gustavo Kuerten arrived at Roland Garros having played an ATP Challenger Tour event the week before. The unknown 20-year-old Brazilian, then No. 67 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, completed an improbable run by earning his first tour-level title at a Grand Slam. Kuerten took out former champion Thomas Muster and defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov en route to the final, then cruised past two-time winner Sergi Bruguera in the championship match.

It was the start of a love affair in Paris for the man affectionately known as “Guga”. Kuerten lifted the trophy twice more (2000-2001) and finished 2000 as year-end No. 1, cementing his status as one of the greatest South American players of all time.

1999: Agassi Completes Career Grand Slam
Although Andre Agassi was a two-time finalist at this event (1990-1991), he had endured several early exits in Paris since then. There was little indication that the World No. 12 was a title contender in 1999 based on his play in the early rounds, but he worked his way into form and defeated defending champion Carlos Moya in the fourth round on his way to the final.

Agassi brought the crowd to their feet and himself to tears by rallying from two sets down to defeat Andrei Medvedev in the championship match. He became only the fifth male player at that time, and the second in the Open Era, to win all four Grand Slams. The American went on to win the US Open that year and finish the season as year-end No. 1 for the only time in his career.

2005: Nadal’s Maiden Slam Title
A stress fracture in his left ankle prevented Rafael Nadal from making his Roland Garros debut the previous year, but he more than made up for it in 2005. The Spaniard arrived on a 17-match win streak, including Masters 1000 titles in Monte-Carlo and Rome, and celebrated his 19th birthday with a semi-final victory against top seed Roger Federer. Nadal defeated Mariano Puerta in the final, becoming the first teenager since Pete Sampras (1990 US Open) to win a major championship and joining Mats Wilander as the only male players to prevail In Paris on their first attempt.

Nadal’s maiden triumph would only be the start of his staggering dominance at this event. He’s lifted the trophy in Court Philippe Chatrier on 12 occasions (2005-2008, 2010-2014, 2017-2019) and compiled a 93-2 record.

2009: Federer Completes Career Grand Slam
Like everyone else on Tour, Federer was unable to figure out how to master Nadal at Roland Garros. The Swiss lost to him four years in a row, including the 2006-2008 finals. But when Nadal suffered a shocking fourth-round defeat in 2009 to Robin Soderling, the Swiss seized his opportunity.

Federer fought back from two sets down in his quarter-final victory over Tommy Haas and rallied from two-sets-to-one down in his semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro. He saved his best for last by convincingly beating Soderling and became the third man in the Open Era to earn a Career Grand Slam. The milestone moment also tied him with Pete Sampras for the most Grand Slam singles titles (14) and he’d break the record one month later by triumphing at Wimbledon.

2016: Djokovic Completes Slam Collection
Novak Djokovic had eight clay-court Masters 1000 titles to his name and more success against Nadal on the surface than any player on Tour, but it hadn’t translated to a title in Paris. He finished runner-up three times (2012, 2014-2015), with 2015 being one of his most disappointing moments after stunning Nadal in the quarter-finals before losing to underdog Stan Wawrinka in the championship.

When Nadal withdrew prior to his third-round match with a wrist injury, Djokovic shined in the role of tournament favourite. The Serbian cruised into the final and defeated Andy Murray in four sets to complete his Career Grand Slam. He also became the first man since Laver (1969) to hold all four majors at once and the only man in history to achieve the feat on three different surfaces.

2017: Nadal’s ‘La Decima’
Having already established himself as the greatest clay-court player of all time, nine-time champion Nadal was playing for history. He looked to become the only player in the Open Era to win 10 titles at a Grand Slam, having already reached double digits that year in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona.

Nadal produced his most dominant run at this event by dropping just 35 games across seven matches. He stormed past Wawrinka in the final to achieve the historic feat known as “La Decima”, earning his first major trophy in three years and jumping to second on the all-time list for most Grand Slam titles with 15.

2019: Nadal Rewrites History Books Again
Critics began to wonder if Nadal’s clay-court supremacy had finally ended after the Spaniard lost in his first three events on the dirt that year, but he silenced them once again. The top seed and two-time defending champion defeated Dominic Thiem in a rematch of the 2018 final for his 12th trophy in Paris. 

By winning the title, Nadal became the only player in history to win 12 singles titles at an individual Grand Slam. He followed up with his fourth US Open crown and finished the season as year-end No. 1 for the fifth time.

Most 22-year-olds haven’t even started thinking about investing, but Taylor Fritz made a groundbreaking move by becoming the first professional tennis player to invest in the rapidly growing esports industry.

The American, an avid gamer himself, concluded his career-best 2019 season by partnering with ReTKGlobal. The company owns several professional Esports teams and Fritz has tested his skills against some of the world’s best.

“I always thought that the esports market was going to be big. I thought that it was a good time [to invest] and an opportunity presented itself, so I went for it,” Fritz told ATPTour.com. “I’ve watched a lot of the London Royal Ravens in the Call of Duty League and seen some of their pro players play in other games. I’ve gotten to play with some of those guys in public matches, so that’s been a lot of fun.

”There are some similarities to being a professional gamer and a professional tennis player because if you want to be good at anything, it takes a lot of time and hard work.”

Fritz has turned to gaming as a relaxing outlet when he’s on the road at ATP Tour events. Fortnite, Valeron, Call of Duty and FIFA are among his favourites to play. His controllers come along with his racquets for every flight and he’s found other players on Tour to battle against from the comfort of his hotel room.

“I like anything where I can be competitive playing against somebody. I bring my gaming laptop and controllers when I’m on the road and then also put a screen in my suitcase,” Fritz said. “The computer runs everything but sometimes the hotel wi-fi isn’t good enough, so then I just can’t play that week.

“Nick Kyrgios is probably one of the better gamers on Tour. He’s incredibly good at Call of Duty and FIFA. Jack Sock is really good at Fortnite as well.”

Fritz has been putting his gaming skills to use during the current suspension of play on Tour by taking part in several celebrity charity tournaments. He won a pair State Farm Play Apart Together events that featured Valorant and FIFA, respectively, and teamed with Addison Rae to prevail in the Stay at Home Slam, a live virtual tennis tournament on Nintendo Switch’s Mario Tennis Aces. The pair defeated Kei Nishikori and Steve Aoki in the final.

@whoisaddison and I really just won the Stay At Home Slam + 1 MILLION dollars for our charity of choice @nokidhungry !!!! u can tell I was a bit pumped ? pic.twitter.com/XiXOioRCWS

— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) May 4, 2020

Each State Farm event yielded $25,000 for his charity of choice and the Stay At Home Slam brought in $1 million since he and Rae competed for the same organisation. Fritz has been playing for No Kid Hungry, a nonprofit that works to end child hunger in America. It’s a cause that’s close to his heart as he remains at home in California with his wife and three-year-old son, Jordan.

“I’m very empathetic towards kids since I have a child, so I can’t imagine my son being in a position where he doesn’t know if he can eat,” Fritz said. “That’s what No Kid Hungry is fighting to stop, so I’m making sure that I’m giving my time and donating to an organisation that’s doing everything they can to help kids. I’m all for it.”

Is Naomi Osaka gearing up for a second career interviewing ATP Tour players? After grilling Frances Tiafoe on Thursday and Gael Monfils on Friday, the WTA star returned on Saturday to Instagram Live and completed the hat trick in an entertaining conversation with Stefanos Tsitsipas.

It didn’t all go according to plan, though. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion caught Osaka off guard with an unexpected prank when she asked him about his hair care routine.

“I put Greek olive oil in my hair, then I add some wasabi in and some vinegar as well. It blends really well… Then I leave it in for about 25 or 30 minutes [and] go take a shower,” Tsitsipas explained. “I definitely put mayonnaise in, that’s for sure. It’s like a one time per week thing.”

Osaka was initially skeptical of his explanation, but soon sat mesmerised as he revealed all of the details. But when she asked him whether or not the mixture smelled, the Greek broke out into a wide grin.

“Did you actually believe me? I’m making things up,” Tsitsipas said, laughing. “I’m so good at lying! All my life I thought I was so bad at it, but now I suddenly got good at it.”

?PRANK ALERT?@StefTsitsipas reveals his “hair care routine” ?

?: @naomiosaka (IG) pic.twitter.com/tWFwmziKXw

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 23, 2020

The World No. 6 in the FedEx ATP Rankings gave straight answers to her other questions, though. Osaka had originally planned for the interview to consist of seven questions, but Tsitsipas happily obliged as more came to her throughout their discussion.

Both players also took to reflect on their lives in lockdown. Tsitsipas admitted that he found it difficult to not be able to work out regularly for several weeks while he remained at home.

“I felt awful. I felt like I was getting fat and didn’t feel healthy, so I tried to get back to it as soon as possible,” Tsitsipas said. “It’s nice getting a good workout where you can sweat it out and be active. It just feels good. And then you can consume all of the calories after, all this ice cream that I like!”

Tsitsipas also discussed what drives through him through the tough practise sessions he’s currently taking on in France. He said that “deliver a feeling” has become his mantra as he looks to create more memorable moments when play resumes on Tour.

“What inspires me is to deliver a feeling to people who watch me, who get to see my artistry in any way. I want to show people a better side of life,” Tsitsipas said. “I’m not sure if I’ve contributed much to that, but it’s something that I [aspire] to. I want to leave a legacy behind. I think everyone does.”

Jannik Sinner is the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion and the youngest Top 100 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

ATPTour.com looks at five things you should know about the 18-year-old.

1) He Stunned The Field At The 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals
Heading into the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, Italian players owned a 0-6 record at the innovative 21-and-under event. But Jannik Sinner, competing as the Italian wild card, stormed through the draw to take the trophy.

Sinner topped Group B with a 2-1 record, beating Frances Tiafoe and Mikael Ymer to advance to the semi-finals. From there, the 6’2” right-hander powered past Miomir Kecmanovic in four sets and top seed Alex de Minaur in straight sets to take the title in front of a passionate home crowd at the Allianz Cloud.

“I’m surprised because it’s been an unbelievable week,” said Sinner in Milan. “All the players are unbelievable players. If not, they are not here. I was the [lowest-ranked] one. I was the [eighth] seed. So I tried to have my chances and, of course, today I’m very happy about my game.”

2) He Is A Former Junior Skiing Champion
Five years ago, Sinner’s focus was on skiing rather than tennis. The Italian, who did not touch a racquet for a year at the age of seven, was playing just two days per week before moving to Riccardo Piatti’s academy in Bordighera as a 13-year-old.

“When I went on court just two times in a week, I really enjoyed it. I just tried to enjoy and it was fun. It was just fun,” said Sinner. “But now it’s a little bit more than fun. Now it’s fun, but you want to go a little bit further and I think that makes this very important.”

Claudio Pistolesi, the 1985 junior World No. 1, recently shared his opinion with ATPTour.com on Sinner’s unconventional route to the ATP Tour and the benefits his skiing background has on his game.

“Like Lorenzo Sonego, who played football until the age of 14, he has broken all the rules that you follow from an academy perspective, having done another sport to a good level,” said Pistolesi. “He brings some lateral skills to tennis from skiing in his movement around the tennis court, and he steps into the ball automatically.”

3) He Owns The Heaviest Backhand On The ATP Tour
In a recent Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of players who competed in a minimum of 10 ATP matches on Hawk-Eye courts from 2018-2020, Sinner’s backhand was identified as a peak performer in both categories measured.

In terms of spin, no player on the ATP Tour hits their backhand with more spin than Sinner’s 1858 rpm. The 18-year-old also owns the fifth-fasted backhand, with an average speed of 69.1 mph.

4) He’s Raising Funds For COVID-19 Relief
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sinner has found multiple ways to support Italian efforts in the fight against the virus.

Alongside his management company, StarWing Sports, and Piatti, Sinner donated €12,500 to Cesvi, a humanitarian organisation. The donation will be used to help with medical emergencies in Bergamo.

“The unity in Italy throughout this crisis has been incredible. Among many thousands of Italians that have helped through this crisis, I want to applaud the 250 volunteers who came together in Bergamo recently to build a Field Hospital in just eight days,” wrote Sinner on Twitter. “This unity is what will get us through this period. I want to do my part, as much as I can, to contribute in pulling us out of this.”

Sinner also created the #SinnerPizzaChallenge, where he will donate €10 alongside his management company for every photo he receives of a pizza that resembles himself or any past or present Italian figure. The money raised from the challenge will be used to fund vital medical supplies in Italy during the pandemic.

5) He Supports AC Milan
Sinner is a supporter of Italian football club, AC Milan. Ahead of his title run at last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals, the Italian was able to attend one of the club’s matches at their home ground: the San Siro stadium.

“My best friend is a Milan fan, so we watched a little bit of football and now I am a Milan fan,” said Sinner.