“You feel that he can do anything that he wants on the court,” Marcos Giron lauds Rafael Nadal post Australian Open 2022 triumph


“You feel that he can do anything that he wants on the court,” Marcos Giron lauds Rafael Nadal post Australian Open 2022 triumph

Rafael Nadal and Marcos Giron

Marcos Giron spoke facing the tennis legend Rafael Nadal in the first round of the Australian Open while doing an episode of the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast. He hailed Nadal and seemed absolutely awestruck by him after the match.

In the first round of the Australian Open in January, Nadal defeated Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. During the one-hour-49-minute match, he broke Giron five times, did not lose service, and had only two breakpoints. The 35-year-old ended up winning his second Australian Open title and created history by winning his 21st grand slams, crossing Federer and Djokovic on the list.

After major rival Novak Djokovic, he became only the second player in the Open Era to win all four Majors at least two times. The Spaniard secured the title in full splendor after defeating World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the finals after returning from a career-threatening foot injury.

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Speaking on a recent episode of the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast. Giron reflected on the experience of facing Nadal in Melbourne.

“It was interesting because I’ve seen him play, obviously an insane amount of matches, throughout my whole life – you know, growing up playing tennis,” Giron said. “But that being said, I was kind of surprised with his shot selection in the sense that, kind of when you play him, you feel that he can do anything that he wants on the court but he always makes the right decision.” Nadal has always been known for his shot selection, always choosing the most appropriate shots in a match and hitting the finest winners.

“He’s always able to choose a shot that [gets] him back in the point and gives him an opportunity,” Giron continued. “He always – whenever there’s a marginal opportunity – he always seems to take advantage of it. He wasn’t just blasting winners – you see him in practice absolutely annihilating the ball and you know he has the ability to – but he doesn’t play like that, he works his way into the point.”

The World No. 55 also stressed the Spaniard’s ability to cash in on the relatively shorter strokes in between rallies. “You think a shot’s open and he gives himself time to get back into that point,” Giron added. “As soon as you leave a ball a little shorter, he’s very quick to take advantage of it. And when he’s on defense, he’s always able to negotiate it. And like I said, if you leave the ball short, he takes advantage of it and next thing you know – five shots later you’re behind the Melbourne sign and he’s hitting a short forehand winner.”

Rafa’s next hunt this season

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has started the 2022 season with an undefeated 15-0 record, sweeping all three events he has entered. In January, the Spaniard won the ATP 250 Melbourne Summer Set and the Australian Open, followed by the ATP 500 Mexican Open in Acapulco last month, where he defeated Medvedev again in the semi-finals, and then claimed a win against Cameron Norrie in the finals.

Next week, the World No. 4 will compete in the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year at Indian Wells. The 35-year-old has won the Indian Wells tournament three times, in 2007, 2009, and 2013. Another great performance is expected of Spain’s raging bull.

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