Nadal survives scare to overcome Bolelli
World No. 1 in danger of losing first set at French Open since 2015 quarter-final
Rafael Nadal survived a mini-crisis to rack up his 80th win at Roland Garros yesterday, as the 10-time champion defeated Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) to reach the second round.
Nadal had to save four set-points in the tiebreaker before wrapping a victory.
World No. 1 Nadal had been two sets up but 0-3 down in the third when rain caused the tie to be suspended late on Monday.
He quickly levelled at 3-3 yesterday, saved four break-points in the eighth game before saving four set-points.
Nadal eventually claimed the match on a third match-point when Bolelli dumped a forehand into the net.
The top-seeded Nadal, bidding for an 11th title in Paris and his 17th Major, next faces Argentina's Guido Pella for a place in the last 32.
"I really suffered today but it was a good test," said Nadal who had been in danger of dropping his first set at Roland Garros since his 2015 quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic.
"It was very difficult. Simone is a very good player and he had lots of chances and was very aggressive. "But I am happy to have won here on this court, the most important of my career."
Third seed Marin Cilic also reached the second round with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win over Australia's James Duckworth.
Wimbledon and Australian Open runner-up Cilic, 29, fired 47 winners and 13 aces past the 1,072th-ranked Duckworth who was playing his first match since last year's Australian Open.
Since that time, the 26-year-old has been battling a foot injury which required surgery in January 2017.
Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first-ever main-draw French Open match.
The 19-year-old, who lost in Roland Garros qualifying last year but is now the 24th seed, will next take on German world No. 70 Maximilian Marterer for a place in the last 32.
"The last couple of weeks I've been playing unbelievable on this surface," said Shapovalov.
This year is the first time Shapovalov has been seeded at a Major after his run to the Madrid Masters semi-finals earlier this month saw him become the youngest player to break into the world's top 30 since 2005. - REUTERS
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