As their first-round 2011 French Open match nears the four-hour mark, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal appears to have regained a modicum of control over John Isner. Nadal has only lost once in his entire career at Roland Garros, you’ll recall, to Robin Söderling in 2009, and whatever momentum Isner accumulated in attaining a 2-1 set lead over the Spaniard appears to have run out in a pretty big hurry.
French Open 2011 Results: Rafael Nadal Forces Fifth Set Against John Isner
Isner’s 12 unforced errors to Nadal’s zero in the fourth set helped make short work of him, as did two double faults, one of which cost him a game. Nadal takes the set, 6-2, the most lopsided and shorted of the match thus far. Of all the times for Isner to shake himself awake and remember he’s playing Rafa on clay, this is perhaps the most inopportune. Nadal leads 2-1 in the fifth set on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Stay tuned to this StoryStream for more results from Day 3 of the 2011 French Open.
See More:
