French Open: Deja vu as Nadal crushes his friend Gasquet

PARIS: Rafael Nadal misplaced simply seven video games in his third-round win over Frenchman Richard Gasquet at the Philippe-Chatrier courtroom. The Spaniard, who will blow out 32 candles on his birthday cake on Sunday, slammed 37 winners within the glowing, close to two-hour affair. But the ten-time Roland Garros winner is not happy, he's talking improvement.

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The defending champion, who'll pass up towards tough German Maximillian Marterer within the fourth around, mentioned, "I'm improving every day, playing better and better. That's my goal and my way." The French Open's top-seed added, "I have another opportunity to practice on Sunday, to keep finding the right feelings, and then try to play the best match possible on Monday."

Nadal, who has never performed the 22-year-old German ahead of, but has hit with him when he was a junior, mentioned he had his work reduce out. "He has good potential, has a good serve, good forehand. He hits the ball with big topspin. He has power, he's a dangerous opponent. He's playing well," Nadal mentioned.

Gasquet, who goes back far with Nadal, proper to their junior days, mentioned the world No.1 was cracking his feared forehand. "He won't give you a point when he gets ahead of you. It's very complex," he mentioned of the left-hander's play. "The quality of his forehand hurts. It's no surprise to anyone. But it's an incredible strength, every time he strikes a forehand."

Equally, there has been talk of the speed of the courts here at Roland Garros, with some gamers pronouncing it was getting sooner annually, even comparing it to hardcourts. Others have blamed it at the climate, the sun making the courtroom slippery and upping the tempo of the skin. "The courts are improving. That's my feeling," Nadal mentioned, adding that it settles as the tournament progresses. "The gravel from the back was coming up and then mixed-in with the clay, that was the problem. That's why it was very slippery. I believe that every day the courts are better and better."

Gasquet added to the voices which are upping the ante at the not possible process of thrashing Nadal on clay. The Spaniard, then again, shrugged it off.

"I don't know what the others think. All I know is about me. What I know is, I go to the court, and I know that I could very well lose. I can win, I can lose," he mentioned. "I don't come here saying, you can't win against me. Of course I have won a lot, and it can maybe influence my opponents. But that's their thing. It's their problem. I can't answer about that."

Game for any other knock

Maria Sharapova loved a quick on-court change with Rafael Nadal in Rome. Fast and livid and punctuated through grunts. The Spaniard has introduced to hit with the Russian again, if she's as much as it.

"Of course, was a good practice for me. I won the tournament there," he mentioned smiling. "Any time, ready to do it again. Was a good fun."

Sharapova, who has lengthy applauded the strong-willed Nadal, mentioned, "I have a lot of admiration for him. I love the spirit that he carries on with, the focus. He knows how to go at 100 per cent. If you look at the practice schedule, he's out there three hours a day. He knows what works for him and he's going to deliver no matter his age, no matter the injuries. That's incredibly admirable. The older you get in this sport, the more physical it is, tougher it is on the body."